Broadchurch series 3
The third and final series of the British crime drama Broadchurch began airing on the ITV broadcast network in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2017 and is set three years after the events of series two. The eight-episode series follows the rape of a local woman in the fictional, close-knit coastal town of Broadchurch in Dorset, England. The return features series stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman and many other actors from the first two series.
Production
Production approval
While conceiving and writing the first series of Broadchurch in 2012, Chris Chibnall designed his story to be told as a trilogy but the first series had to be self-contained in case the show did not do well in the ratings and a second series was not commissioned. When he pitched series one to ITV, in the autumn of 2012, he pitched series two and three at the same time.On 1 December 2014, a number of media outlets reported that ITV had commissioned a third series of Broadchurch.
On 23 February 2015, ITV confirmed that Broadchurch, as well as David Tennant and Olivia Colman, would return for a third series, repeating the use of "Broadchurch will return" after the closing credits. Jane Featherstone and Chris Chibnall continued as executive producers of the programme in series three, with Dan Winch replacing Richard Stokes as producer for the final series. Chibnall is the lead writer.
Writing
Filming for the third series began in May 2016 and broadcast started on 27 February 2017. The final series follows Miller and Hardy as they investigate a serious sexual assault. Creator Chris Chibnall said, "We have one last story to tell, featuring both familiar faces and new characters. I hope it's a compelling and emotional farewell to a world and show that means so much to me." The Shores, Dorset's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, and the Dorset Rape Crisis charity, along with various police advisers, assisted Chibnall throughout writing the scripts.Casting
David Tennant and Olivia Colman were the first two cast members to be confirmed to return for the third and final series. On 12 April 2016, ITV officially announced the casting for the third and final series, with Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan, Arthur Darvill, Carolyn Pickles and Adam Wilson returning to play their respective roles as Beth Latimer, Mark Latimer, Rev. Paul Coates, Maggie Radcliffe and Tom Miller. Joe Sims confirmed his return as Nigel Carter via Twitter. Charlotte Rampling confirmed she would not return as Jocelyn Knight QC, with her character's absence explained in the second episode as being due to her being involved in a big trial in London.Actors new to Broadchurch include Mark Bazeley, Georgina Campbell, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Charlie Higson, Sarah Parish, Lenny Henry, Roy Hudd, Sunetra Sarker, Sebastian Armesto, Becky Brunning, Jim Howick, Chris Mason and Deon-Lee Williams.
Cast
Characters in series three of Broadchurch included the following:Police
- Detective Inspector Alec Hardy – returns to Broadchurch with his daughter and continues to work with DS Miller, having been away for a while.
- Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller – working with DI Hardy in Broadchurch while rebuilding her life following her husband's acquittal.
- Detective Constable Katie Harford – new detective.
- Chief Superintendent Clark - DS Ellie Miller's and DI Alec Hardy's superior.
Victims
- Trish Winterman – Leah's mother and Ian's estranged wife. Works for Ed Burnett. She is the rape victim.
- Laura Benson – rape victim two years earlier.
- Nira - the third assault victim, refuses to speak to the police because she is afraid her family will find out.
Suspects and families
- Cath Atwood – Jim's wife. Trish's friend and colleague at the local farm shop.
- Jim Atwood – Cath's husband and owner of the local garage.
- Ian Winterman – Leah's father and Trish's estranged husband. A teacher.
- Leah Winterman – Trish and Ian Winterman's daughter.
The Latimers
- Beth Latimer – mother to Chloe, Lizzie, and murder victim Danny. Now working at “SARA”.
- Mark Latimer – father to Chloe, Lizzie, and murder victim Danny. Separated from Beth and haunted by the injustice for his late son.
- Chloe Latimer – Beth and Mark's 18-year-old daughter.
- Elizabeth "Lizzie" Latimer – Beth and Mark's younger, infant daughter.
The Millers
- Tom Miller – 15-year-old elder son of DS Ellie Miller.
- David Barrett – Ellie's father. After his wife's death, he moved in with his daughter and her family.
- Fred Miller – younger son of DS Ellie Miller.
- Joe Miller – DS Ellie Miller's ex-husband; acquitted of Danny's murder.
Press
- Maggie Radcliffe – editor of the Broadchurch Echo, the local newspaper.
- Caroline Hughes – Chief Executive at the media company that owns the Broadchurch Echo.
Townspeople
- Ben Haywood – former junior barrister to QC Knight.
- Nigel "Nige" Carter – Mark Latimer's best friend and employee.
- Reverend Paul Coates – Anglican vicar in Broadchurch.
- Ed Burnett – owner of the local farm shop where Trish and Cath work.
- Daisy Hardy – DI Alec Hardy's 16-year-old daughter.
- Sahana Harrison – Beth Latimer's boss at SARA.
- Leo Humphries – running his father's fishing supply business.
- Aaron Mayford – convicted rapist and sex offender recently released from prison.
- Arthur Tamworth – owner of Axehampton House, Cath's birthday party venue.
- Clive Lucas – husband to Lindsay and stepfather to Michael. Private minicab driver.
- Lindsay Lucas – wife to Clive and mother to Michael.
- Michael Lucas – Lindsay's son and Tom Miller's friend.
- Sarah Elsey – colleague and mistress to Ian Winterman.