Olivia Colman

The pair will be joined by new cast members Sarah Parish (Atlantis), Charlie Higson (The Fast Show) Georgina Campbell (Murdered By My Boyfriend), Julie Hesmondhalgh (Coronation Street) and Mark Bazeley (Home Fires).

Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan will also return as Beth and Mark Latimer alongside Arthur Darvill as vicar Paul Coates, Carolyn Pickles as newspaper editor Maggie Radcliffe and Adam Wilson as Ellie’s son Tom.

On 18 September 2016, Steve November has a problem. At 9:00pm that night, the slot arrives in ITV’s schedule that would normally be filled by the season premiere of Downton Abbey.

As Director of Drama for the ITV network, November has to find a replacement – Downton is ending, with the last ever episode to air this coming Christmas Day. And, given Downton’s blockbuster ratings performance, it’s going to be a fiendishly difficult act to follow.