John Simm drama finally gets release date after epic wait for British fans

John Simm's drama Grace , based on the bestselling novels by Peter James, will return to ITV for its fourth series on Sunday, September 1 at 8 pm on ITV1, it's been officially confirmed

Despite being a British show, Grace season 4 actually went out in America first over the summer, leaving UK fans wondering if it would ever arrive on ITV.

But at last, they now know that Simm is returning for more sinister cases as DS John Grace alongside Richie Campbell as DS Glenn Branson. Also returning are Craig Parkinson ( Line of Duty ) as DS Norman Potting, Zoë Tapper ( Liar ) as Cleo Morey, Laura Elphinstone ( Line of Duty ) as DS Bella Moy, Brad Morrison ( Dinosaur ) as DC Nick Nicholl and Sam Hoare ( The Capture) as ACC Cassian Pewe, and Clare Calbraith as Grace's estranged wife Sandy.

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Sherwood actor Robert Glenister — the brother of Simm 's Life on Mars co-star Philip Glenister — guest stars in the first episode as a character called Gavin Daly.

Teasing the opening story ITV says: "The first film in the new series is called 'Dead Man’s Time'. A vicious robbery at a secluded Brighton home, draws Grace and Branson into a puzzling inquiry when thousands of pounds worth of beautiful antiques are stolen from the house. As Grace digs deeper into this mysterious crime, he unearths a web of ancient grudges — a web which leads him down a dark, murderous trail through the world of Brighton antiques, in a race against the clock, to untangle who is at the heart of this robbery, and bring Gavin Daly the answers he has been desperately chasing for many years."

ITV will have adapted 12 of Peter James' 19 Roy Grace novels after the end of season four. So, there's a potential for a fifth season and Simm told us he enjoyed making the show, especially now he lives in Brighton where it's filmed.

"Moving here has really helped me get into the world of Grace. We film all over Brighton, Hove and the surrounding area, so I know where I am a bit more now.”

Grace season 4 begins on Sunday, September 1 at 8 pm on ITV1 (see our TV Guide for full listings).