Grace: Cast confirmed for new ITV drama as filming begins

ITV has confirmed the cast for its upcoming drama Grace which begins filming this week.

Acclaimed screenwriter and Endeavour creator, Russell Lewis, has adapted Peter James’ first two books of the Roy Grace series, Dead Simple and Looking Good Dead.

They will air in two separate two-hour screenplays.

It was previously confirmed that John Simm will star in the title role of tenacious detective Roy Grace.

Also on the cast are Richie Campbell (Liar, Blue Story, Top Boy) who takes the role of DS Glenn Branson and Rakie Ayola (Noughts + Crosses, Shetland, No Offence) as ACC Vosper.

Laura Elphinstone (Game of Thrones, Chernobyl, Line of Duty) is DS Bella Moy, Amaka Okafor (The Split, Vera) plays DC Emma Jane Boutwood, and Brad Morrison (National Theatre Live; Twelfth Night) takes the role of DC Nicholl.

Rebecca Scrogs (Alex Rider, Flack, Scarborough) plays Branson’s wife Ari, Alexander Cobb (Doctors, Vera) plays Kevin Spinella and they are also joined by Adrian Rawlings (Chernobyl, Girlfriends, Innocent), Natasha Joseph (Get Even, Doctors, Sex Education), Tom Weston-Jones (Warrior, The Terror, Dickensian), Matt Stokoe (Cursed, Jamestown, Bodyguard), Alisha Bailey (Save Me, Chewing Gum) and Maggie O’Neill (White Lines, The Split, Shameless).

The first of the two-hour films is called Dead Simple.

A synopsis shares: “Grace is running enquiries into long forgotten cold cases with little or no prospect of success. He’s fixated by the disappearance of his beloved wife, Sandy, which haunts his thoughts. His unorthodox police methods have come under scrutiny once again and Grace is walking a career tightrope and risks being moved from the job he loves most.

“With so much at stake, his colleague Detective Sergeant Glenn Branson knows he has more to give and asks him for help with a case. When a stag night prank appears to go wrong and the groom goes missing, Branson calls upon Grace to unravel events that led to the mysterious disappearance three days before his wedding to his beautiful fiancé.

“A successful property developer with everything to live for, there is no trace of the missing groom. Is this a case of stag night shenanigans gone badly awry? Or is this something more sinister?

“With nothing but instinct, a lingering suspicion and his obsessive nature, Grace doggedly pursues the groom’s disappearance and becomes uneasily close to the bride to be…”

A start date for Grace on ITV is to be confirmed.

Grace was first announced in 2019.