# Father Brown (2013 TV series)

Father Brown is a British period detective television series loosely based on the Father Brown short stories by G. K. Chesterton, starring Mark Williams as the crime-solving Roman Catholic priest. Broadcast began on BBC One on 14 January 2013. In April 2023 the BBC confirmed that filming had begun on an 11th series, for broadcast in January 2024, and also confirmed the return of Lorna Watson as Sister Boniface. The commissioning of series 12 and 13 was confirmed in April 2024.

## Synopsis

The series is set in England during the early 1950s. Father Brown is the priest at St Mary's Catholic Church in the fictional village of Kembleford, located in the Cotswolds, in an unknown parish.
Britain is struggling with the aftermath of the Second World War, rationing is still in effect, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place, the death penalty has not yet been abolished, and homosexuality and abortion are still illegal. An empathetic man of keen intelligence, Father Brown solves murder cases when members of his parish are involved, when circumstances are strange enough to gain his interest, or when he is directly asked for help. During his investigations, he occasionally neglects his more mundane parish duties.
He is often helped by the parish secretary, Bridgette McCarthy (Series 1–9), and his housekeeper, Susie Jasinski (Series 1 only). He is also sometimes aided by socialite Lady Felicia Montague; her driver, Sid Carter (a former criminal); and her niece, Bunty Windermere. In series 10, he is aided by Isabel Devine, his new parish secretary, and Brenda Palmer, his housekeeper.
Father Brown's interest in local cases and his habit of offering advice and pointing out clues often annoy the local police inspector. Father Brown holds no animosity towards the police, but he often embarrasses them with his investigations.
During World War I, Father Brown served in the British Army's Gloucestershire Regiment; he served with the same regiment in World War II as a chaplain. His experiences as a veteran, along with his vocation as a priest, give him great insight into human nature as well as a desire to offer forgiveness and redemption, wishing to serve his concept of justice rather than strictly following the letter of the law and condemning the guilty. Father Brown is obedient to the Seal of confession in the Catholic Church. When confronting criminals, he sometimes offers to hear their explanations and confessions without judgment. While he then urges them to admit their crimes to the authorities and accept responsibility, he also promises he will not reveal their actions or prevent their escape if they choose otherwise but he will only interfere if they will do something to harm others.

## Characters
### Overview

| Actor | Character | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series | Series |
| Actor | Character | Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3 | Series 4 | Series 5 | Series 6 | Series 7 | Series 8 | Series 9 | Series 10 | Series 11 | Series 12 |
| Mark Williams | Father Brown | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Sorcha Cusack | Mrs. Bridgette McCarthy | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | |
| Nancy Carroll | Lady Felicia Montague | Main | Main | Main | Main | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest |
| Alex Price | Sidney "Sid" Carter | Main | Main | Main | Main | Guest | Guest | | Guest | Main | | | |
| Kasia Koleczek | Zuzanna "Susie" Jasinski | Main | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hugo Speer | Inspector/Chief Inspector Walter Valentine | Main | Guest | | | | | | Guest | | | | |
| Keith Osborn | Sergeant Albright | Recurring | Recurring | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tom Chambers | Inspector/Chief Inspector Edgar Sullivan | | Main | Main | | | | Guest | Guest | | Main | Main | Main |
| John Burton | Sergeant Daniel Goodfellow | | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main |
| Jack Deam | Inspector Gerald "Gerry" Mallory | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | Main | | | |
| Emer Kenny | The Honourable Penelope "Bunty" Windermere | | | | | Main | Main | Main | Main | Guest | | | |
| John Light | Hercule Flambeau | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring | Recurring |
| Ruby-May Martinwood | Brenda Palmer | | | | | | | | | Guest | Main | Main | Main |
| Claudie Blakley | Mrs. Isabel Devine | | | | | | | | | | Main | Main | Main |

### Main cast

* Father Brown – Mark Williams (2013–present): a slightly rumpled, shambolic, and mild-mannered Roman Catholic priest who, if appearance were the only consideration, would be easily forgotten. His apparent innocence belies a playful wit and a razor-sharp intellect. His greatest strength, both as a priest and as a detective of crime, is his love and understanding of other people. He is not there to judge but to save souls. He is a veteran of both the First and the Second World War, having served with the Gloucestershire Regiment on each occasion (as an infantryman in the first war and as a Catholic chaplain in the second).
* Mrs. Bridgette McCarthy née Maguire – Sorcha Cusack (2013–2022): the Irish parish secretary at St Mary's. She checks the facts for Father Brown, acts as his confidante on official Church business and everything else, is steadfastly loyal to Father Brown, and defends him from the ire of the congregation; she also makes sure he eats. She is instinctively narrow-minded and conformist, adhering to the simplest version of Church dogma, but usually eventually finds herself able to reconcile forgiveness with her sense of justice. She has a tendency to brag about her award-winning strawberry scones. Mrs. McCarthy is a frequent gossip – though claims she is not – and shares a love/hate relationship with Lady Felicia, although both women eventually admit to being close friends. She is married but leaves her husband after he returns from having lived with another woman following the war. Mrs. McCarthy is no longer Father Brown's parish secretary as she has left Kembleford and returned to Ireland to live closer to her sister.
* Lady Felicia Montague née Windermere – Nancy Carroll (2013–2016 as a lead character): a glamorous but bored socialite who comes from an old and noble recusant family. She is also known as the Countess of Montague by virtue of her marriage to the Earl of Montague, whom she calls "Monty". She supports many local charitable activities and resides at a grand stately home named Montague Hall. Lady Felicia is unhappy with her husband's aloofness toward her and has a roving eye when her husband is away, which he usually is. She is a staunch ally of Father Brown and frequent nemesis of Mrs. McCarthy, despite grudging respect between the women. Although she left at the start of series 5 when her husband was appointed Governor of Northern Rhodesia, she made guest appearances in series 6 ("The Face of the Enemy"), in two episodes of series 7 ("The Great Train Robbery" and "The Honourable Thief"), and in series 8 ("The Celestial Choir"). She also appeared recently in series 11, "The Word of the Condemned".
* Sidney "Sid" Carter – Alex Price (2013–2016, 2022 as a lead character): An artful dodger, Sid is an occasional black marketeer, part-time crook and informant who becomes Lady Felicia's chauffeur. Father Brown makes him the church handyman while trying to keep him on the straight and narrow. He has a unique talent for being able to talk his way into any situation in order to help Father Brown search for the truth. During his time in Kembleford, he manages to gain the trust and respect of both Father Brown and Mrs. McCarthy, who come to value him as a close friend. Indeed, in the series 5 episode "The Sins of Others", Father Brown says that he is the closest thing he has ever had to a son. He is also known to share a close bond with The Honourable Penelope "Bunty" Windermere. Father Brown often relies on Sid's skills and links to the criminal underworld of Kembleford to help him solve a case. Originally a regular character, he often makes guest appearances, notably in "The Sins of Others" (series 5), "The Tree of Truth" (the 2017 Christmas Special), "The Face of the Enemy" (series 6) and "The River Corrupted" (series 8). In series 9 he returned as a lead character.
* Zuzanna "Susie" Jasinski – Kasia Koleczek (2013): Father Brown's part-time housekeeper, who lives in a nearby post-war Polish resettlement camp. Her true first name was revealed in the episode "The Eye of Apollo".
* The Honourable Penelope "Bunty" Windermere – Emer Kenny (2017–2020 as a lead character): the wayward niece of Lady Felicia (the daughter of her brother Viscount Windermere) seeking refuge after being photographed leaving a sleazy nightclub with a married man and cited in divorce proceedings. She has had to adapt to life in Kembleford and has become a close friend of both Father Brown and Mrs McCarthy, whom she often refers to as simply 'Mrs. M'. It becomes apparent throughout the series that the two women share a mutual respect, despite often being at odds with each other.
* Inspector/Chief Inspector Walter Valentine – Hugo Speer (2013–2014): head of the local police force who finds himself constantly torn between secret admiration for Father Brown and deep frustration with him. He would like to collaborate but has been burnt once too often by Brown's unorthodox moral code. Nevertheless, he comes to respect Brown's methods and even admits that when he is promoted to Detective Chief Inspector and moves to London he might miss the priest. Valentine returns in the final episode of series 8, "The Tower of Lost Souls".
* Inspector/Chief Inspector Edgar Sullivan – Tom Chambers (2014–2015, 2023–): replaced Inspector Valentine at the start of the second series. Sullivan too is exasperated by Father Brown's meddling but is eventually won over. He makes a guest appearance as a Special Branch officer in "The Sacrifice of Tantalus" (series 7) under the alias of Inspector Truman. He also appears in the final episode of series 8, "The Tower of Lost Souls", having been promoted to Chief Inspector. He returns as a regular in Series 10.
* Inspector Gerald "Gerry" Mallory – Jack Deam (2016–2022): replaces Inspector Sullivan. Like his predecessors, he is often exasperated by Father Brown, whom he sarcastically calls "Padre" (in reference to Brown having been a military chaplain). However, he is a far more open-minded, and occasionally resourceful, detective, and chases after leads with great enthusiasm, even when they lead him to the wrong conclusion. At the beginning of season 10 it is revealed that Mallory has left Kembleford, for he has transferred to Scotland.
* Sergeant Albright – Keith Osborn (2013–2014): played dogsbody to Inspectors Valentine and Sullivan.
* Sergeant Daniel Goodfellow – John Burton (2014–present): continued playing the dogsbody for the Inspector with increasing involvement. Credited in the opening beginning of series 5. Passed his exam to be an Inspector at the end of Series 10. Married to Violet introduced episode 12:9.
* Hercule Flambeau – John Light (2013–present): the nemesis of Father Brown; a jewel and art thief who seems to be without conscience. He and Father Brown have encountered each other at least once in every series; in series four he reveals he has a daughter, Marianne Delacroix, whom he had never met. Series 11 introduces his father.
* Brenda Palmer – Ruby-May Martinwood (2022–present as a lead character): a young woman who becomes the new housekeeper at St. Mary's. She made her first appearance in the series 9 episode "The Wayward Girls", before returning as a regular in series 10.
* Mrs. Isabel Devine – Claudie Blakley (2022–present): a widowed enthusiast for mysteries, who is Mrs. McCarthy's replacement as parish secretary. She is in a not-so-secret relationship with Chief Inspector Sullivan.

### Recurring roles

* Bishop Talbot – Malcolm Storry (2013–2015): appeared in three episodes. Talbot is Father Brown's superior and does not like his sleuthing but respects him for solving the mysteries. In "The Daughter of Autolycus", his death was mentioned. He is succeeded by Bishop Reynard (Michael Pennington).
* Harold "Blind 'Arry" Slow – Alan Williams (2017–2020): appeared in six episodes. Slow is the rag-and-bone man for Kembleford and also a drunk. In "The Darkest Noon", he mentions that he got the nickname "Blind 'Arry" after being gassed in the First World War, and he also mentions that he was a sapper. He wears several rows of medal ribbons and multiple loose medals, suggesting – if authentic – a distinguished previous military career.
* Professor Hilary Ambrose – James Laurenson (2014–2017): appeared in two episodes. Ambrose is a theological scholar and friend of Father Brown.
* Canon Damien Fox – Roger May (2016–2022): appeared in four episodes. He is a canon of the Diocese and reports to Bishop Reynard. Fox takes a dim view of Father Brown's unconventional ways.
* Katherine Corven – Kate O'Flynn (2017–2018): appeared in two episodes. In "The Eagle and the Daw", she was in prison for murdering her husband. Father Brown had helped to convict her and was awaiting her execution. In "The Jackdaw's Revenge", she was cleared of the murder of her husband when someone else confessed: later in the episode she died from a gunshot.
* Daniel Whittaker – Daniel Flynn (2015–2018): appeared in two episodes. Whittaker is a ruthless MI5 agent who blackmails Lady Felicia. In "The Man in the Shadows", he had Sid arrested on false charges after he entered an MI5 room. In "The Face of the Enemy", he compelled Lady Felicia to steal (by substitution) a roll of film from one of her lovers, an alleged Soviet spy, and had her arrested on false charges. Father Brown persuaded him to let her go.
* Marianne Delacroix – Gina Bramhill (2016–2020). Flambeau's daughter is equally adept at theft. Two episodes.
* Gerald Firth/Kalon – Michael Maloney (2013–2022). Founder and leader of the cult-like Church of Apollo. Two episodes.