Anyone tuning into Downton Abbey on PBS this winter could not avoid the endless commercials for the new series on Masterpiece Mystery, Grantchester. Well, the networks promotional department gets a high five for having this storm stayed and snow bound Downton Lover to tune in. It was not hard when the lead in the commercials was actor James Norton and his perfect head of blonde hair!
Grantchester is sort of the PBS version of Murder She Wrote. Maine has been replaced by small village of Grantchester and mystery writer Jessica Fletcher has morphed into the hot as hell clergyman Sidney Chambers played by Norton. The show is based on The Grantchester Mysteries, a series of novels by James Runcie. The show is not exactly ground breaking television, but Norton is a great actor who makes every scene better than the scripts that inspire them.
The producers also know they have a star on their hands, and a handsome one as they take every opportunity to get their man of the cloth out of his clothes. No nudity, just shirtless and often sweaty, secretly enjoyed especially I think by his cranky and tight housekeeper Mrs Maguire. Maguire spends a lot of time cross our dear Sidney, but me thinks she has a wee crush.
Norton's star is on the rise, so fast in fact co-star Robon Green worries he'll be fleeing Grantchester for movie roles before too long. James has already hit the big screen in Rush, Mr. Turner and Bolomo (see below). James got rave reviews playing the bad guy on the crime drama Happy Valley and will soon be seen in an updated version of Lady Chatterley's Lover and was recently cast to play gay painter Duncan Grant in new BBC2 drama Life In Squares. One to watch and if you're not watching yet, check out Grantchester, Sunday nights after Downton Abbey on PBS
Late Night Filming with James and Robon
Bonobo (2014)
'Bonobo monkeys resolve all conflict through sex, as does our hippie commune!'
James Northon
I have been trying to put my hands on a copy of Bonobo, a film released in the UK last December. Thus far, I only found the trailer, but as you can see from these caps, James appears to enjoy a little fun with the older ladies, and a little naked yoga. Bring on the DVD!
