ITV’s compelling crime drama, set in the quaint Dorset town of Broadchurch, is a police procedural without the procedure. Instead the series, about the investigation into the murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer, focuses on character and the impact of the murder on everyone from the pastor to the local newspaper and Danny’s grieving family.

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The show is anchored around the brilliant chemistry between leads David Tennant and Olivia Colman, who star as the team of detectives leading the investigation.

Where can I watch Broadchurch?

Broadchurch is available on YouTube, iTunes, Sky On Demand and Amazon Prime. You can also purchase the series on DVD and Blu-ray.

What is Broadchurch about?

Broadchurch, a safe, quiet Dorset town, seems like the idyllic place to grow up, so the residents are shocked when 11-year-old Danny Latimer is discovered murdered.

In series one, DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller are tapped to investigate the crime that has upturned life in town. Everyone, from shopkeepers to the local parson, is suspicious of someone else.

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Subsequent series continue to follow the Latimer investigation and its aftermath, and also introduce new characters and cases.

Creator and writer Chris Chibnall was determined to keep the identity of the murderer a secret, and employed a variety of strategies to make sure it was kept under wraps. Scripts were only released to actors on a need-to-know basis, and Chibnall continued to write as the show was shooting. Even the person playing the murderer didn’t know their character was the culprit until midway through shooting the series. Even then, Chibnall had deliberately crafted the narrative so he could change his mind.

Who is in the Broadchurch cast?

Broadchurch features a massive ensemble cast of UK television regulars as residents of Broadchurch. Here are some of the main players.

David Tennant (Doctor Who) stars as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, a veteran police officer who has newly arrived in Broadchurch.

David Tennant Broadchurch
David Tennant Broadchurch (ITV)

Oscar winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite, Peep Show) plays Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller, who has known the victim’s family for years. She is married to Joe, played by Welsh actor Matthew Gravelle (Holby City, Belonging).

Their boss, Chief Superintendent Elaine Jenkinson, is played by Hollyoaks’ Tracey Childs.

Another Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker, plays Danny’s grieving mum, Beth. Her plumber husband, Mark, is played by Garrow’s Law actor Andrew Buchan.

Corrie Street’s Julie Hesmondhaigh earned universal acclaim for her honest, nuanced portrayal of rape victim Trish Winterman in the third series.

How many seasons of Broadchurch are there? How many episodes are there in a season of Broadchurch?

There are three seasons of Broadchurch, each with eight episodes.

Where is Broadchurch set?

Broadchurch is a fictional town on the Dorset coast.

Where was Broadchurch filmed?

The first series was mostly filmed in Somerset, not Dorset, in the town of Clevedon. Dorset featured more in series two and three.

Some interior scenes were also filmed at Vision Studios near Bristol.

For more on the series' filming locations, click here.

In order to enhance secrecy (and the cast's performances) the actors were sometimes kept from seeing the locations until just before they were set to film. The production team also took the unusual step of filming all the episodes in order. For most shoots, scenes taking place in one location across the series are filmed in one go.

Will there be another season of Broadchurch?

A definitive no. Chibnall, discussing the third and final series, said: “That’s it and there will be no more after this one, absolutely.”


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