Tom Chambers first appeared as Inspector Sullivan in the BBC detective drama Father Brown in 2014. After two series, the actor made the difficult decision to leave the show. Over the years, he made occasional guest appearances, but it wasn’t until 2023 that Chambers reprised the role permanently, much to the excitement of fans.
In a recent interview on Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend (December 21), Chambers opened up about his initial departure. He admitted he requested to come back almost immediately after leaving, realizing how much he missed the role. “When I joined, I thought, ‘Hang on a minute, all I do is get it wrong!’ If you see me driving off with someone in the back of a car, you know they’re innocent,” he joked.
Chambers also revealed his youthful energy didn’t quite fit the character at first: “I just thought I’ve got too much energy for this, I need to be jumping out of windows and things like that. Then, as soon as I left, I wrote every year for seven years because I realised what a gorgeous job it was.”
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Now 48, Tom says he feels “very lucky” to be back and praises the show’s cast and crew. He shared that returning to Father Brown has become a “guilty pleasure” enjoyed not just by mature viewers but increasingly by younger audiences as well.
His character’s journey reached a poignant moment at the close of series 12, when Inspector Sullivan married Mrs. Devine, played by Claudie Blakley. Fans eagerly await the return of series 13, set to premiere on BBC One on January 9.
The upcoming episodes promise new developments: Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan adjust to their married life and new home, Isabel joins the Policeman’s Wives Society, and Brenda embarks on a journey of self-empowerment as she takes on the role of Parish Secretary and learns to drive. Meanwhile, Father Brown faces thrilling challenges involving Father Lazarus in prison and looming threats from Bishop-Elect Fox that could change Kembleford forever. For the first time, the group will take a seaside trip, adding fresh adventures to the series.
Father Brown continues to captivate audiences and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.