Brighton-based ITV crime drama Grace is returning for series 4

ITV have been spoiling us with compelling new TV dramas recently and season 4 of Grace is one of the latest additions. Based on the internationally bestselling books by Peter James, the show is set in Brighton and follows dogged Detective Superintendent Roy Grace as he solves cases, whilst being haunted by the disappearance of his wife.

Cast of Grace, TV series

Doctor Who and Life on Mars actor John Simm will be returning as lead character Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, alongside his work partner DS Glenn Branson, played by Richie Campbell (who's works include Top Boy and Vanity Fair).

“I’m so pleased to be back on set, filming series four of Grace. Four of Peter James’ Roy Grace novels are being adapted for this series and Grace fans will be pleased to know the stories are as dark as ever with lots of twists and turns.”, says John Simm.

Other returning cast members include Line of Duty star Craig Parkinson as DS Norman Potting; Zoë Tapper (from ITV's Liar) as Cleo Morey; Laura Elphinstone (Chernobyl, Military Wives) as DS Bella Moy; Sam Hoare (The Ex-Wife, Rivals) as ACC Cassian Pewe and Brad Morrison (Dinosaur) as DC Nick Nicholl.

The series will also feature Robert Glenister, an acclaimed actor who's best known for Hustle, Spooks and most recently, Sherwood.

Grace series 4 release date

Sunday 1st September is the confirmed UK release date for the new series of Grace, and the first episode Dead Man's Time will begin at 8pm on ITV and ITVX.

American viewers were able to watch it earlier, as all episodes were made available on BritBox on the 2nd of July.

Grace ITV filming locations

Predominantly filmed in Brighton and Hove, the locations are mostly the same as those in the books. If you know Sussex well, you may also spot locations such as Beacon Hill, West Pier and Urban Park in Burgess Hill.

How many episodes of Grace are there on ITV?

So far, there are eight episodes of Grace in total (which are available to watch on the ITV Hub), but the latest series will bring that number up to 12.

Each episode is based on a different Peter James Roy Grace book and they are more like films, as each instalment is about 2hours long.

Here's what author Peter James had to say about the new series: “As a writer, the chance to have such a phenomenal and collaborative cast and crew to bring my novels to life continues to be a dream come true. Audiences have so generously embraced the series with such enthusiasm and I cannot wait for Roy Grace fans, old and new, to see these four new episodes.”

Grace series 4 episodes

ITV have provided a breakdown of what to expect from each episode of the new Grace TV series. Find them here, along with the corresponding books:

Dead Man's Time

'The first film in the new series is called Dead Man’s Time. A vicious robbery at a secluded Brighton home, draws Grace and Branson into a puzzling enquiry when thousands of pounds worth of beautiful antiques are stolen from the house. As Grace digs deeper into this mysterious crime, he unearths a web of ancient grudges - a web which leads him down a dark, murderous trail through the world of Brighton antiques, in a race against the clock, to untangle who is at the heart of this robbery, and bring Gavin Daly the answers he has been desperately chasing for many years.'

Want You Dead

'In episode two, Want You Dead, Grace and Branson investigate a case where nothing is truly as it first appears. When an unidentified victim is found dead in curious circumstances, the post mortem reveals more questions than it does answers. As Grace works to identify the body, hoping this might provide some crucial clue as to the killer’s motive, he soon has another death on his hands when a second victim shows up in central Brighton, discovered in similarly bizarre circumstances.'

You Are Dead

'You Are Dead is episode three in which Grace and Branson are thrown into what is possibly their most disturbing and high-profile case yet, when an unsettling discovery of skeletal remains is unearthed by workmen digging up a path in central Brighton. Meanwhile, across the city that same morning, a victim is snatched in broad daylight. With no witnesses and no sign of who took her, Grace starts to suspect whether the victim’s fiancé is lying to the police.'

Love You Dead

'The final episode in the series is Love You Dead. When a known Brighton burglar is found dead in his car, in gruesome circumstances, his wife claims that he had turned over a new leaf, but all the evidence points to the fact the victim may still have been up to his old tricks and was breaking and entering on the night he was killed. As Grace and the team work to hone in on the circumstances leading to the victim’s death, Roy receives a call from a US police contact about a crime abroad which bears the hallmarks of a mafia hit. The police are keen to trace a woman they believe to be from Brighton, who could be in danger. As Roy scours the city to help find her, it becomes apparent he isn’t the only one looking for this mysterious woman.'

Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, Grace and Line of Duty actor Craig Parkinson teased that this series will be the darkest one yet: "It’s the seedy, dark underbelly of Brighton and I would probably say this season of Grace takes it to its most disturbing finale. And that’s probably all I’m allowed to say on that."

How many series of Grace are there on ITV?

Whether you're new to the show or want to remind yourself of what happened previously, you can watch the first three series of Grace on the ITV Hub.

Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.