Fans of Father Brown are celebrating the return of the beloved BBC One series for its 13th season. Mark Williams reprises his role as the thoughtful detective priest, Father Brown, the character originally created by G.K. Chesterton.
The opening episode thrilled viewers with the surprise return of Sorcha Cusack as Mrs McCarthy after a four-year absence. Alongside her, fan favourite Mrs Isabel Devine—now Mrs Sullivan—is back again.
Claudie Blakley plays Mrs Sullivan, the current parish secretary at St Mary’s, a role she took on from Mrs McCarthy in 2023. Claudie, 52, is no stranger to British television. Before joining Father Brown, she was known for her role as Emma Timmins in BBC’s Lark Rise to Candleford.
READ MORE: Cheltenham Town vs Grimsby Town LIVE: Team News, Updates, and Post-Match Reactions
READ MORE: Gloucester Rugby Player Ratings Following Narrow Defeat to Bath
Her impressive career includes acclaimed performances such as Mabel Nesbitt in the Oscar-winning film Gosford Park, Charlotte Lucas in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice adaptation, and Martha in the BBC drama Cranford. Claudie has also portrayed Cynthia Lennon in Lennon Naked and appeared in the popular series Grantchester.
Remarkably, Claudie comes from a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry. Her late father, Alan Blakley, was a renowned musician and producer, known for his work with the Tremeloes and The Rubettes. Alan passed away in 1996 at the age of 54.
Claudie’s mother, Lin Blakley, is a celebrated soap actress. She is best known for playing Pam Coker on EastEnders from 2014 to 2019, with a brief return in 2022. In 2023, Lin starred as Georgia Sharma in Emmerdale and has also appeared in hits like Vera, Silent Witness, and Doctors.
Father Brown airs Fridays at 2pm on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.