Geordie (Robson Green) and Will (Tom Brittney) can't do right for doing wrong in Grantchester season 8, which finally lands in the UK on Thursday, January 11. Will and Bonnie have settled into their marriage and are expecting, but a fatal accident at a charity motorbike race organized by the vicar pushes him to the brink.
You can watch Grantchester season 8 for FREE in the UK on the ITVX streaming service. Going to be away? Don't worry, you'll still be able to tune in whilst the series is airing as you can watch Grantchester season 8 on ITVX from anywhere with a VPN.
With Will devastated about his role in the incident, Geordie takes it upon himself to absolve his friend but in his zeal he crosses the line. It's just the excuse DCI Elliot Wallace needed to rain down fire and brimstone, and he uses the opportunity to erode his responsibilities and lever him towards retirement.
All the while, seemingly disparate and unconnected people are dying in circumstances that invite closer examination but are also easy to explain away. Could the cases be related, or is Geordie really ripe for the scrapheap?
The most obvious focus is the halfway house for ex-convicts that's opened under Leonard's lax supervision, but there's not a great deal Geordie can do from behind a desk, and he'll have to lean on the help of Larry and Miss Scott to ensure that no stone goes unturned.
Here's how to watch Grantchester season 8 online and for free. Continue reading to find all the necessary info to help you tune in, no matter where you are in the world right now.
How to watch Grantchester season 8 in the UK for free
How to watch Grantchester season 8 in the US
Grantchester season 8 aired on PBS Masterpiece over July and August 2023. If you're still looking to watch Grantchester now, this is where you need to go.
And if you're going to be away from home but still want to try and stream Grantchester season 8, you might be able to tune in with a VPN.
How to watch Grantchester season 8 in Australia
Grantchester season 8 aired on ABC TV in Australia over August and September 2023.
That means you can now stream all six episodes at your leisure for free on the ABC iView service. All you need to do to watch is register on ABC iView with your name, date of birth and postcode.
How to watch Grantchester season 8 from anywhere with a VPN
You can watch Grantchester season 8 on ITVX by using a VPN — no matter where you are in the world.
Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.
Our favorite VPN is ExpressVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar. There's a helpful guide to the best VPN services on TechRadar if you'd like a deeper read.
How to use a VPN to watch any stream
- Download the app at ExpressVPN
- Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
- Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
What is the Grantchester season 8 release date?
Grantchester season 8's release date in the UK is Thursday, January 9, 2024. The series premieres at 9 pm UK, with new episodes set to air in the same slot on a weekly basis.
All episodes will be made available to stream as a box set once the first has aired on ITVX.
All you need to know about Grantchester season 8
Who's in the Grantchester season 8 cast?
- Robson Green as DI Geordie Keating
- Tom Brittney as Reverend William "Will" Davenport
- Charlotte Ritchie as Bonnie Davenport
- Tessa Peake-Jones as Mrs Sylvia Chapman
- Al Weaver as Leonard Finch
- Kacey Ainsworth as Cathy Keating
- Oliver Dimsdale as Daniel Marlowe
- Nick Brimble as Jack Chapman
- Bradley Hall as DC Larry Peters
- Michael D. Xavier as DCI Elliot Wallace
Grantchester season 8 trailer
How many episodes of Grantchester season 8 are there?
Grantchester season 8 is a six-part series, with each episode lasting about an hour.
Where is Grantchester filmed?
As per PBS, "Grantchester is an actual historic village about an hour from London where many scenes are filmed for the TV series. Its handsome country homes, thatched-roof cottages, and quaint streets appear in every episode."
The majority of the filming takes place in London and Cambridge. Fans can even take a Grantchester Filming Locations Walking Tour.
Q&A with Robson Green (Geordie Keating)
You’ve been in Grantchester since the beginning, longer than you’ve ever been in any other series. What keeps you coming back?
As I'm in the last third of my life, I want to work with people I love working with and do projects that make me genuinely happy and push me creatively. But in the end, I just really want to have fun doing what I love. And Grantchester caters for those needs. I’m an executive producer, and at the beginning we knew we had something special and that would float the audience's boat, but we never realised how popular it would turn out to be and how well it would be received around the world. But as long as Daisy [Coulam] is at the helm, with [executive producer] Emma Kingsman-Lloyd and as long as we have cinematographers and lighting designers at the top of their game, and we’re all still enjoying it, long may it continue.
What sort of reaction do you get from fans?
I just came back from doing a fishing show in Australia. In the outback I was with what I’d call really stereotypical Australian blokes who run a cod hatchery, who told me Grantchester was their favourite show! It was just the most bizarre and surreal accolade. I had the same reaction in Alaska, when I was filming on a glacier and a bunch of Americans started going, ‘It’s Geordie! It’s Geordie!’ Wow. I feel honoured and privileged to be part of something that is enjoyed around the world and proud to be part of such a talented team.
What’s happening for Geordie in Grantchester season 8?
There’s a murder every episode and the stories are really gripping. We start with a case where a biker is found dead in a field after a charity motorbike race. Geordie and Will both realise this is a murder and not an accident. Then Will gets involved in a tragedy where somebody loses their life and Geordie desperately wants to exonerate Will. We have an episode directed by the wonderful Al Weaver, who plays Leonard, which was great. Later, Geordie gets into a tussle with Leonard over his halfway house. Leonard sees the good in everyone, but Geordie is old school and realises that not everyone can be rehabilitated. Geordie’s big story arc is that his boss, DCI Elliot Wallace [Michael D. Xavier], is trying to edge him out, and Geordie is distraught. Amongst all this, Will has a big personal crisis and Geordie goes to great lengths to help him. The last episode is beautiful and has a wonderful surprise. Also, my friend, Mark Benton, is a guest star.
How does Geordie feel about being encouraged to retire from the force?
It’s a defining moment for Geordie when he realises his shelf life has expired. He’s closed for business, he needs to move on and leave this place that he loves, and has given his life to, because he can't compete with Elliot and his entourage. Elliot’s got people in his pocket who are far more powerful than Geordie. It’s a very painful moment for Geordie and great to play as an actor. We’ll have to see if he can find a way around it.
What can you tell us about Geordie and Cathy’s story arc this season?
Geordie doesn't want to tell her he's being forced to retire, because that's embarrassing, apart from the worry of how they're going to deal with it financially. But when he discovers she's going to get promoted in her job, that makes it worse because it will affect his position in life – in the early 60s, men were the breadwinners. And suddenly, how was that going to go down with the people in the village and and at the police station when they realise that he's no longer the breadwinner and head of the household? So that's where we find those two, but we know they’ll work it out because there is genuine affection and love for one another. You’re an executive producer and one of the lead actors.
How does it feel to be the elder statesman on set?
I do feel a responsibility. I want anybody who comes on the show to feel at home. Like when we got Mark Benton, I said to him, ‘You're going to love this, Mark,’ and he went, ‘You don't need to tell me that. I've spoken to so many people who've worked on the show who’ve said it's lovely.’ When people come on the show, I want to make sure that they have fun and enjoy the process. Of course they'll work hard and know their lines and their story arc, but I also want them to have some fun. The industry can be incredibly stressful, but in the end, we're making television and that's a privileged position to be in; therefore, we should enjoy ourselves.
Tell us about casting Mark Benton in a guest role as a village copper. I'm assuming that you suggested him for the role?
I'm not sure I should be telling you this, but the part was for a woman, originally. But when we couldn't get the actresses we wanted, I said, ‘Okay, let's just imagine that the cop’s male. Do you know someone who could play a cop coming up to retirement and who was likeable and funny and could draw pathos to a situation?’ And I suggested Mark and they went for him. He is the nicest, funniest guy you're ever likely to come across and he's an absolute joy to work with and brilliant at his craft. I've loved him for years and years. Geordie and Will are close buddies and you’ve had Tom Brittney on your travel series, Weekend Escapes.
Can you tell us about your relationship with him offscreen?
We love each other. We stay in contact all the time. When I was in Australia filming my fishing show, he texts me, ‘How’s it going?’ and sends me a picture of himself next to Cameron Diaz – he’s working with her on a film [called Back in Action] – and all I can send him is a picture of me with a big tuna. Like James Norton, Tom is such a lovely person to be alongside – so funny, but with an intelligent wit. It's lovely to work with him. And I've never known anyone who can learn so much dialogue in one go!
Is Grantchester based on a book?
Adapted from the Grantchester Mysteries novels by James Runcie, the ITV/PBS series was developed for television by Daisy Coulam. Season 8 writers include: Richard Cookson (episode one), Helen Black (episode three), Anita Vettesse (episode four) and Richard Cookson and Karla Williams (episode five).
What has Robson Green said about Grantchester S8?
"It’s so good to be back on Grantchester. A series that just gets better with age. Everyone involved is at the top of their game and this incredibly charming, likeable, dark and edgy show is an absolute privilege to be part of."
