Gavin & Stacey star looks almost unrecognisable as Father Brown murder suspect

(Image credit: BBC)

Gavin & Stacey star Robert Wilfort, best known for having a certain fishing trip, looks almost unrecognisable in pictures from his new role in Father Brown season 12.

Over 19 million viewers tuned in over Christmas to watch Robert playing Jason West in the final ever episode of the beloved sitcom, with many viewers hoping they’d finally find out what happened on Jason's fishing trip with Bryn (Rob Brydon).

Robert Wilfort as William Fitzgibbon in Father Brown season 12 — Robert Wilfort has dumped Jason's trademark beard for his role as William in Father Brown (Image credit: BBC)

From a fishing mystery, he's now in a murder mystery as he guest stars in a new episode of Father Brown, airing on BBC One on Friday, March 7 at 2 pm.

Robert guest stars as William Fitzgibbon, a respectable Professor of Maths at Gloucester University. His wife, Martha (Nicola Stephenson) is a member of a local sewing circle, whose other members include battleaxe Judith Skelton (Beyond Paradise's Felicity Montagu) and Violet Goodfellow (Naomi Radcliffe), the wife of Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton).

Jason, Smithy, Nessa and Stacey enjoying themselves in Gavin & Stacey — Jason having fun with Smithy and co in the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special (Image credit: BBC)

Sergeant Goodfellow describes William as his "fellow sewing circle widower" and they hold their own meetings in the pub. But then Brenda overhears William and another member of the sewing circle, Catherine Glover (Carlyss Peer), holding a secret conversation that implies they're lovers. "It's killing me the guilt and that's why I'm going to do the right thing," she says. William begs her not to say anything but she insists that she will.

So, when Catherine is found stabbed to death William becomes the obvious murder suspect. Chief Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers) takes him in for questioning, but as ever Father Brown isn't as quick to leap to conclusions. Might someone else be responsible for Catherine's death?

William with his wife Martha in Father Brown season 12 episode 9 — William with his wife Martha (Image credit: BBC)

Meanwhile, Robert Wilfort, whose other credits include Grace, Wolf Hall and Vera, was recently in the news for donating a signed copy of the script of the Gavin & Stacey finale to charity.

Robert's Father Brown episode airs on Friday, March 7 at 2 pm on BBC One (see our TV Guide for full listings). The whole series of Father Brown is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. The Gavin & Stacey Christmas 2024 special is also available to watch now on iPlayer.