Since its premiere in 2021, ITV drama Grace has gripped fans with its gritty plotlines and unpredictable twists. This week, John Simm has reprised his role as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, the man determined to solve cold cases after the haunting disappearance of his wife.
The eponymous detective operates within the East Sussex police, with filming predominantly taking place in Brighton and Hove. Grace is based on a crime book series written by best-selling author Peter James, including titles such as: Left You Dead and Dead Man’s Game.
Season 6 launched on 29 March, with fans taking to social media to hail the first episode as ‘excellent’. The complex costal crimes have already begun to unfold, but if you need to jog your memory, here is everything you need to recap from the last season.
What Happened In Grace Season 5?
The biggest case of season 5 was The Cassian Case, which centred around ACC Cassian Pewe (Sam Hoare) – Detective Grace’s former boss, who is revealed to be corrupt. Alongside his role in the police force, Cassian had also been in cahoots with Benchdale, an organised crime group that framed Grace for the disappearance of his wife, Sandy.
In an incredible plot twist, viewers learned that Cassian helped Sandy to hide after she first went missing, giving him the intel to frame Grace. Cassian continues to wreak havoc in season five, as he murders Hannah Belling, a psychiatrist threatening to expose his double life.
At the end of the season, Cassian is arrested and imprisoned, however the confinements of his prison cell cannot prevent his villainy. He reveals to Grace that his wife did not commit suicide, and that she was murdered by the Benchdale gang. Sandy, who owed a large sum of money to the group due to her gambling problem, was hit by a car, however, this ‘accident’ was far from accidental. Cassian continues to torment Grace by revealing that the gang is threatening to murder his son.
Who Stars In Season 6?
John Simm, celebrated for Life on Mars and Mad Dogs, reprises his role as Roy Grace in Grace season 6, alongside Richie Campbell as DS Glen Branson, both of whom are struggling with the weight of the corruption investigation in the East Sussex police force. Zoë Tapper returns as Cleo Morey, Grace’s fiancé, attempting to plan their wedding while coming to terms with the loss of their baby. Other key members of the cast will also return, including Laura Elphinstone as DS Bella Moy, Brad Morridon as DC Nick Nicholl, and Juliette Motamed as DC Vee Wilde. Interestingly Sam Hoare, who played the wicked Cassian Pewe, does not seem to be reprising his role this season.
Guest stars for the season include Rishi Nair, Ali Khan, Sara Powell, Amir Wilson, Dylan Corbett-Bader and Peter De Jersey.
Where Is Grace Filmed?
Grace is mostly filmed in Brighton and Hove, although filming does take place across Sussex. Producer Kiaran Murray-Smith is a Brighton local himself and determined to keep the series as authentic as possible. Though some landmarks are immediately recognisable, such as The Brighton Beach Pier, others require a little more sleuthing. For example, Daly’s Vintage Emporium, featured in season four, was filmed in Julian Stephen’s, a quaint jewellery shop in the North Laines. Some reports even suggest that the morgue featured in season two of the show was filmed in The Martlets Shopping Centre in Burgess Hill – supposedly in a former Lidl unit.
Episode Schedule
Grace season 6 airs weekly on Sunday nights on ITV1. The full episode release schedule is as follows:
- Episode 1: 9pm, Sunday 29 March 2026
- Episode 2: 9pm, Sunday 5 April 2026
- Episode 3: 9pm, Sunday 12 April 2026
- Episode 4 – Finale: 9pm, Sunday 19 April 2026
All episodes of Grace are available to stream on ITVX.
