Father Brown Renewed for Season 12
In some cases, we earn commissions from affiliate links in our posts.
Last Updated on February 11, 2024 by Stefanie Hutson
If you've been enjoying the new season 11 episodes of Father Brown over on BritBox, you'll be delighted to know the series has been renewed for a twelfth season. Though it hasn't been officially announced through all the usual channels (yet), casting notices are popping up all over the place, with production scheduled to begin soon.
What's Father Brown About?
Father Brown is based on the short stories by G.K. Chesterton, which follow a Roman Catholic priest with a knack for solving mysteries that baffle the barely competent local police. Set in the fictional village of Kembleford in the Cotswolds, it's a fun mix of mystery, humour, and the exploration of human nature. Father Brown's gentle yet astute observations of village life and his deep understanding of human sin and redemption make him an unlikely but formidable detective – similar to other thoughtful cozy detectives like Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote or Father Dowling in Father Dowling Mysteries.
RELATED: British TV Shows About Church and the Clergy
What's Happening in Season 12?
While details about the plot of season 12 remain under wraps, we expect to see the action picking back up in the mid to late 1950s. The only thing we know for sure at this point is that we can expect cosy village life, beautiful scenery, thoughtful observations, and plenty of murder.
Who's in the Cast for Season 12 of Father Brown?
Mark Williams is expected to return to his role as the eponymous Father Brown, with a supporting cast that may include Claudie Blakley as Mrs. Devine, John Burton as Sergeant Goodfellow, and Tom Chambers as Chief Inspector Sullivan.
Cast lineups have been a bit surprising over the last few seasons, with quite a few fan favourites coming and going and even coming back again – so it's hard to know for sure who else we can expect. When the cast and crew return to set in April, we expect more details will trickle out.
When Will Season 12 of Father Brown Premiere?
Filming for season 12 is set to begin in April 2024 in Birmingham and the Cotswolds, and new episodes typically premiere in the early part of the year. For that reason, we would expect to see the episodes premiering in the UK in January 2024, with the US premiere shortly after. It will air on BBC One in the UK, and it will likely premiere on BritBox in the US (that's where all the seasons have been premiering in recent years).
Again, it's still early, so bear in mind that these are just estimates based on what's happened with past seasons. The BBC usually announces the official premiere dates a month or two ahead of time.
While You Wait: Read G.K. Chesterton's Original Father Brown Stories
If you've watched and re-watched the series and you're still left wanting more, consider checking out the original Father Brown mysteries by GK Chesterton.
Like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, some of Chesterton's works were published both before and after the current public domain cutoff date. Though most of the collections you'll find have only those which are no longer copyright-protected, you can get a complete version of all 53 short stories HERE.
It's also worth noting that the Father Brown mysteries were written over many years and set in a variety of locations, while the TV series is quite firmly set in the Cotswolds during the 1950s. Father Brown himself is also a bit different in the stories – not quite as lovable, but more appreciated by the local police. The series is also a bit more thoughtful, devoting more time to the philosophical and theological sides of things. It's interesting to read at least a couple and see the differences, even if the books aren't your cup of tea.
There's also an older version of the television series, which you can watch HERE on BritBox. Filmed in the 1970s, it stars Kenneth More as Father Brown and Dennis Burgess as Hercule Flambeau. The earlier series is much more closely related to the books.
