(bright orchestral music) - We are going to be doing our final round table for "Masterpiece," as we talk all things "Grantchester."

There could be tears, there will be laughter, and maybe even a confession or two.

- Excellent.

- And of course it is all strictly off the record.

I am Kacey Ainsworth, AKA Cathy Keating.

So I'm going to be your host this evening.

So we need to introduce ourselves now.

So I'd like just to go around the table, starting with you.

- I'm Al Weaver and I play Leonard.

- I'm Robson Green.

Robson Go Lightly Green.

- Yay.

- That's true.

- This is Robson Go Lightly Green and I play Detective Inspector Geordie Keating.

- I'm Daisy Coulam and I don't play anyone.

I'm a writer.

- You're the writer.

- You're the reason why we're here.

You're the reason why we're here.

- That's me.

- I'm Rishi Nair and I play Reverend Alphy Kottaram.

- I'm Tessa Peake-Jones and I play Mrs.

Sylvia Chapman.

- I'm Bradley Hall and I played Larry Peters.

- Oh, played!

Oh no, you see, it hasn't set in.

- So the tea's already been made.

- We're all saying play.

We're not saying played.

- So now we've introduced ourselves, let's get started.

And I think the best place to start is the very beginning.

And because we have the very person da, da, da, who created all of it, dramatized the books of James Runcie, Daisy Coulam, please cast your mind back and tell us how everything began, how things go from book to screen.

Because 11 years ago, none of us know, the "Masterpiece" viewers might not know how that happened.

- How it came about.

So James Runcie's book, I read it in like an hour and a half and went, "This is so awesome."

It's clearly, like all the characters were there.

Like, you weren't there.

- I wasn't there.

(members laughing) - [Tessa] You are now.

- Bradley wasn't there.

But everyone else, it was all set out like a TV show.

He'd really, really thought like six episodes, almost six chapters.

And it would just, I could see it.

I could see it straight away.

- So did he write it with the intention of it being a TV series when he was writing along?

- I think he'd got that in his mind.

Yeah.

- But the characters in the book are very, very different to what you created.

I mean, I read that first series of books and I certainly know the relationship between Sydney and Geordie was, they seemed very, very different and they looked very different in what you created because Geordie was terribly overweight.

No stranger to the sweet trolley or the bar, you remember.

- Oh my god.

- [Robson] And he had terrible health problems in the first books.

Yeah.

He was a big junkie chap.

But when you look at the books and when you digest that information, how do you turn it into something that the intention being a long running series with an arc and relationships that everybody's going to care about and follow?

- Do you know, we story lined it on the meadows.

- [Tessa] Did you?

- Yeah.

We literally sat on a picnic blanket and worked out what the storylines for the best series.

Yeah.

It was really cool.

- When was that?

2000?

- 12.

- Wow.

- Wow.

- So did you have quite a lot of input in the early days around how Geordie Keating was going to be?

Regardless of the books, where they were, you read the books, obviously got inspiration from that and then you could then help develop?

- I just said Peter Falk, "Columbo."

I just said Peter Falk, "Columbo."

I said, "Do you know the look?"

I said, "Can he have one look?"

He said, "Oh, well, we've got this brilliant costume designer.

He's got all these other ideas."

And I said, "Can I just have one look?

I'll have the stoop like Peter Falk.

I'll have the gate, the walk like his, and I want the shoes the same and I just want this beige look."

- Right.

- So I want a man who's stuck in time.

And that was my only input.

And I think it worked because if I do wear a different costume, you notice.

- [Kacey] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- So yeah.

- Way different time.

- Yeah.

So I think that was the whole thing, certainly from my character is a man who was stuck in his ways, and I think that's a lovely thing to play when everybody else is progressing with the time, he's stuck in time.

- So now, how many cases did you actually solve in these?

- Well, here's the thing.

(members speaking indistinctly) - [Robson] They sold them together.

- Oh really?

- [Robson] They sold them together.

Of the 78 murder stroke deaths, 77 have been solved by a vicar.

- [Bradley] Wow.

- So this should be called "Grantchester."

- One is the answer.

- They should be called "Grantchester" in brackets, rubbish detective.

- Do you remember when we found out you solved the case?

I read the scripts and I write you up and went, "You've done it, man!

You got it!

You've solved the case!"

- Episode six, series 11 of it, I've solved now!

- Done it.

- [Tessa] Finally.

- So there we go.

Just one.

So we've gone from the people at the beginning to the last person to arrive with us, which was Alphy.

And you arrived at the vicar of the haunted by two very handsome ghosts.

How did you feel about taking over?

Obviously, which you did with aplomb, as we all know.

And also you had another job, you were an executive on the show as well.

And what sentence, possibly, this is a lot of questions.

- [Alphy] Yeah.

- How did you feel about taking over?

I was excited because, you know, it was the first time I was ever going to be a lead on a show, so that was really exciting.

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared and it was super nerve wracking.

It was like such a successful show that you guys had created over eight years, you know, a kind of staple of British TV.

And you come in to lead a show and my first thing was, just don't mess this up.

Do not cancel this show after one year actually, whatever you do.

- [Kacey] Because that follows you around.

- That follows you around.

- You're the person who takes over another show.

- [Rishi] Exactly.

So it was scary, but it was, you know, within the first couple of days, you guys all made me feel so welcome and such a part of the family, and that kind of allowed me to just relax and be the kind of best version of myself as a person and as an actor.

- Well, you met him with such a different energy.

- [Rishi] I did, and you know.

- And what I really love about this show is all the male relationships, and how different each one of them has been with each vicar.

And so the bromance has been completely different.

- [Rishi] Completely different, right.

- And you came in with a completely different energy.

- Well, when I was auditioning for the show, I though I should watch some "Grantchester" to know kind of what the show is about.

And I remember putting it on, I think it was season seven.

I watched about five minutes and I was watching Tom do his thing.

And we're not playing the same character, but we are still the vicar that's part of this duo.

And I immediately turned it off and I thought, I shouldn't watch this, because I think what I would subconsciously try and do is replicate what he was doing or alternatively try and do the complete opposite, which then also alters your performance because you're doing the opposite of what he's done.

So I kind of just stopped watching it and I just read the scripts and I kind of just trusted the words that Daisy had written and I trusted my instincts to go with that and trusted the producers and directors around me that if I was veering in the wrong direction that they would steer me in the right way and say, no, this is kind of what "Grantchester" is about.

And I think that allowed me to bring this kind of fresh take to the show, because I didn't really know the show.

- Yeah.

- Rishi, are you prepared to tell the "Masterpiece" audience what you told me that would blow our minds?

- [Kacey] I didn't know whether I was going to mention this.

- [Robson] Are you going to tell that story?

- It's so good.

- Yeah, I suppose I can tell that story, so.

- So good.

- When we started working together, do you remember we went for dinner in the Chop House?

- [Robson] Yeah, we were in Cambridge.

- And we came out of the Chop House where we all go for dinner and we were looking at, what's that building called, where the street?

- Trinity.

- Trinity.

Trinity College in Cambridge.

And you were describing this scene to me.

He was like, "In season one, we shot here and there was this, and our director had vertigo," and he was telling me all this kind of story.

And while he was telling that to me, I remember saying to you, I went, "Do you know what?

I'm going to tell you a story one day and it's going to blow your mind."

And you looked at me in a really weird way of like, "What?

That's an odd thing to say.

All right."

And then I told you a couple of months ago.

So that scene that you were describing to me, weirdly enough, in series one, I was also there because I was an extra on season one of "Grantchester."

- And the amazing thing was at the Chop House, was that the first time you'd really revealed it, that time you got the photo out?

- Yeah, when I told you that.

- And there's a photograph of Rishi in that first series.

And you handed it around the table and I thought, A, how incredibly brave and honorable that you did that, but also it was just so amazing to think for young actors, that you can go from that, being a supporting artist to playing the lead and being an executive producer.

And if that doesn't give hope to actors in the future, I don't know what does.

- Yay.

- And if that's not the manifest.

- [Robson] In terms of the character Leonard, because I got the states a lot and you talk to the American audience who loved this show and the majority of them, their favorite character is Leonard.

But in the books, that character was very kind of disconnected from the main drive, I think.

- He was, wasn't it?

I can't remember.

He sort of appeared, didn't he?

- [Robson] Yeah, page, it was a tiny little part.

And you know, credit to yourself that it's turned into what it has.

It's certainly my favorite character in terms of, you know, likability and it's like, you know, you're watching a piece of theater and you went, "I want that character to come back on stage because I like him so much."

I mean, did you kind of realize, as this was evolving, where characters were going and relationships were going, and how popular Leonard would become?

- So you feed off the actors as well because I think you watch what they do and then you go, "Oh, I want to spend more time."

So all of like Larry, for example, you want more of him because you're so good.

So like, yeah, sorry.

I'm getting emotional now.

They're like, you know, like, so you sort of feed off each other, I think.

And so then you want to give more dramatic storylines.

So we put Leonard through the ringer.

In fact, we put all of you through the ringer.

- Yeah.

- So there's been lots and lots of other things that have happened for everybody in this show.

And there's things that happened kind of outside of the show, outside of playing the characters.

And I'm thinking about firstly, you two, obviously, because both of you have directed.

Now you've directed episodes and Brad, you've directed second unit staff.

All of us around this table have done extra things.

- Well you have, Kacey, because you have brilliant ideas.

You put them forward and then co-wrote an episode of the series, didn't you?

But again, because Emma and Daisy's so open to that, it means that you feel like you're able to share your creativity and things that you want.

And like I said, them being open, but also years of collaboration because every year, you get to know people more and you're able to say, "Now we're a family.

Can I ask you if we could do this?"

You know, it takes time, doesn't it to do that?

- On other jobs, that doesn't happen.

- [Tessa] No.

Never.

- And you don't have that opportunity to do that.

- Because of, you know, the family vibe and the trust that's been built up over the years, that this is, you know, it's such a part of our course of my life, half my career.

- It's amazing, isn't it?

- [Al] It's incredible.

I know that every single person who's on this job will, and I can only speak for myself, but like take this onto whatever I do.

It's given me the confidence, tools.

It's been like an 11 year, very long film drama school.

- Yeah.

- It has in a way.

- Yes.

I think that's true of all of us.

- [Al] It's been how to be a better person school.

Do you know what I mean?

Like, you know, and everyone who's come on this show has turned up, know their lines, you know, had good etiquette, led from the top, and that's bled down from, you know, it's just such a good way to do a show.

- [Kacey] Because it's very hard to be able to be taught what a film set's like.

There's the terminology.

There's how everything works.

You know, even things that you don't think about, like the crew show, like most people like would go, "Well, what's a crew show?"

They don't understand what that is and that's, you know, that's where all your crew come in, they watch the first run through of it so that they know what their part is in that particular scene.

And that's the reason why you have a crew show so someone's not sitting there going, "Oh, they need tea?

I didn't think they would drink a tea."

So you have this whole crew show thing and those are things that you often get younger actors, kind of saying, "What's that?"

- Well, that's because in drama schools, particularly in the university of drama training, nobody teaches them.

Nobody ever, I mean, I mentor at central and no one, the third year students still don't know what a crew list is.

They don't know what everyone on a crew does.

Well, that's outrageous at a drama school that's teaching acting.

- Who did you mentor?

Do you mentor somebody?

- At Central?

Well I do it each year.

- Didn't you mentor- - Oh, yeah.

Talking of that.

- [Kacey] Yes.

This is your other job.

- [Tessa] Oh my god, I'd forgotten that.

- Who knew when this was going to come up?

- Oh, Bradley.

Did you know that?

- Bradley didn't know.

- No.

- So Al, tell Bradley.

- [Al] Well it's because we never have scenes together, so he's never there when you tell this story to everybody.

- [Tessa] Tell Bradley about our experience.

- No.

- Tell me that.

- No.

- Did you not know?

- [Robson] Absolutely not.

- 21 years old.

- Well, that's because we don't have any scenes together.

It's usually just me and Tessa in the vicarage with the vicar when she tells the story.

- Poor Robson.

- [Al] Every single day.

- So you didn't go to sleep while they stay in.

- So in your third year of drama school at Guild Hall where I went, you get given a mentor, and it's someone to sort of like have a chat with you and speak to you about, you know, going forward into the world.

And I got Tessa Peake-Jones.

- No way.

- [Robson] What?

- Indeed.

- You are kidding me!

- I've taught him everything he knows.

- It's all making sense.

- [Tessa] Yes!

- So she said, so did I do my monologue for you?

I don't remember.

- Probably.

- How old were you, Al?

- [Al] I was 22.

- [Kacey] Did you make him go forward?

- Yeah, I got to do his audition speeches.

I was paid to do six hours work with him.

I had to go through his audition speeches and give him advice.

He never listened.

And then watch all your shows in your final year, didn't I?

And your agency evening or whatever it was.

- And what's the biggest difference between Al then and Al now?

- I think I listen more now.

- [Tessa] You listen.

- Yeah.

I'm much more calm.

I was very like, I didn't want to hear anything really.

And Tess was so gorgeous and kind.

- Well, you already didn't need any advice whatsoever.

But you weren't going to listen anyway.

- The irony is, I said to you the other day, I said it's taken 23 years or whatever for your advice to stick in, 11 years of working together as a proper mentor to really get through to me, you know, all the things you were trying to teach.

But I think I said in your car, the main thing you taught me is just how to have joy on set and, you know, I think just make the other people around you have a good time as well just with kindness and whatever, that actually being a better person is the best thing you can do as an actor.

- Well if I've taught you that, then that's amazing.

I'll take that.

- That show's made me a better person.

Leonard has made me a better person.

- So in the future, for everyone's characters, what would you have liked to have seen?

- Ooh.

- In the future?

- Yeah, so you know.

- [Tessa] What, season 15 if they had me.

- Yeah, yeah.

If you had any ideas about the future for your character, what would you have liked to have done?

Where do you think they would like to have gone?

- We always talked about Interpol, you know, when countries started talking to one another about crimes.

- Going abroad.

- [Robson] Going abroad.

Can you imagine us in Paris or America?

- Transferred to New York, we all go.

- Oh my gosh.

- I always wanted to end up in Paris as obviously Coco Chanel.

- Yeah, indeed.

- Or Anna Wintour.

Anna Wintour, definitely.

She needed to have that Bob.

- Great.

- And just a pair of sunglasses and I just would become very quiet and still.

So that's why I wanted for mine.

What did you want from Leonard?

- I don't know whether we, there's a lot of storylines we always talked about and things that Leonard's, I mean, Leonard's literally like been through everything.

- Yeah.

- [Al] But the one thing that I always did, because there was always one when he directed the Christmas theater show, directed the kids.

Well, I always had an idea, I always wanted him to like to be a football coach and like, do like the Sunday boys football team.

And just like, just the image of him trying to control a football team.

- Oh, that's a fantastic idea.

Imagine you in the halftime talk, 13 nil.

This is a ball.

(members laughing) - So I think from all of us and from Sydney and Will and Ms.

Scott and Daniel and Mr.

C, who none of them are here, we want to say thank you very much for watching and for every bit of love that you've sent our way and the stories that we've shared with the viewers who love this village and its murderous inhabitants.

And we want to say thank you and good night.

- Well done, Kacey.

- Well done.

(members applauding) (bright orchestral music)