Summary

• The British detective drama Grantchester featured James Norton as the lead vicar, Sidney Chambers, for the first three seasons.
• Norton left the series in 2019 due to a "combination of things."
• Norton went on to star in several other television shows and films, adding to his extensive filmography.

PBS is known for introducing American viewers to British TV series like Downton Abbey, which proved so popular that it was followed by two spinoff movies and paved the way for the series Grantchester. The mystery, set in 1950s Cambridge, initially followed Anglican vicar Sidney Chambers, who had a secondary career as a detective alongside Detective Inspector Geordie Keating.

However, Grantchester significantly changed when leading man James Norton left after three seasons. Although the series continued without him (it aired its eighth season in the summer of 2023) with the new lead, Reverend William Davenport, that meant finding a way out for its original main character. Why did James Norton leave Grantchester — and what happened to the series after he was replaced?

Updated by Katie Doll on November 28, 2023: James Norton's time on Grantchester was short but sweet. Even if the series has continued for seasons without him, fans will never forget the original vicar who started it all. This article has been updated to expand on how Grantchester adapted to a storyline without Sidney Chambers and Norton's work outside of the British TV series.

Who Was Sidney Chambers on Grantchester?

Reverend Sidney Chambers was Granchester's primary protagonist until Season 4. Sidney served as a Scots Guard officer during World War II and worked alongside Detective Inspector Geordie Keating (played by Robson Green) to solve assorted crimes. The iconic duo developed a friendship not unlike Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (who may receive their own TV universe now that Sherlock Holmes has entered the public domain).

Sidney also had quite a romantic life. Amanda Kendall was an heiress who worked at the National Gallery in London and served as his first love interest. He later began a relationship with an American minister's daughter, named Violet Todd, who played an important role in Sydney's departure in Season 4, Episode 2.

Why Did Sidney Chambers Leave Grantchester?

James Norton, who subsequently starred in the British crime drama Happy Valley, said his 2019 departure from Grantchester's cast was due to a "combination of things." He said Sidney's relationship with Violet, which led to his emigration to the United States, felt like a "natural conclusion" to the character's storyline.

Tom Brittney, who played Lt. Jeremy Foster on Outlander, replaced Norton at the beginning of the third episode of Season 4. Brittney joined the cast as Reverend William Davenport and won over many Grantchester fans. PBS shared a video on Instagram in 2020 of Brittney introducing the fifth season. Most comments praised Brittney's acting chops, with one person saying, "I miss Sidney, but the new vicar is doing a fine job." It's unlikely that Norton would return to reprise his role as Sidney, considering that Brittney has been leading the show for nearly four seasons. But perhaps the character will cross the Atlantic again someday.

How Grantchester Adjusted Without Sidney Chambers

Grantchester is still running along smoothly, but not without a few more changes after Norton's leave. For the most part, fans accepted Brittney replacing Norton as the lead and believed he was a good addition to the cast. Some actually consider William a better vicar to watch on the screen than Sidney. The main difference viewers will discover after Norton leaving is that Grantchester has adapted to being an ensemble piece that equally follows all the characters rather than one character in particular. This is a safe bet, considering long-running shows have a revolving cast of characters, and focusing on one character would be detrimental if they left. This change in focus worked out for the better in Grantchester's case, as Brittney ended up departing the show ahead of its ninth season and will be replaced by Rishi Nair.

However, some fans have stated on Reddit that in Norton's absence, the show has lost its philosophical tone and instead gained a soap opera one. Viewers seem to be divided if this was an improvement or downside of Sidney being gone, but that's subjective for every viewer. Like any show, people should watch the series themselves to form their own opinions.

James Norton's Career Outside of Grantchester

Norton is well missed on Grantchester, but fans can still find him in other projects where he shows off his talents. Most recently, he appeared in the comedy film Ex-Husbands, the biographical drama Rogue Agent and the horror film Things Heard & Seen. He can also be seen in several other television productions in a starring role, such as the British crime drama Happy Valley and HBO's sci-fi series The Nevers. He was also featured in the Season 3 premiere of Black Mirror, "Nosedive," which was critically acclaimed. Additionally, the actor played the leading role of Jude St. Francis in the theatre production of A Little Life, based on the book of the same name by Hanya Yanagihara.

Norton's upcoming projects include the biopic musical Bob Marley: One Love where he'll portray record producer Chris Blackwell and will play Pete in the four-part television series Playing Nice. Norton appears to have a long and prosperous career ahead of him, and Grantchester will soon only be a small but important part of it.