Mark Williams recalls crashing Father Brown's bike chasing baddie

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Being a crime-solving priest comes with risks!

TV Tonight: Mark Williams as Father Brown.
(Image credit: BBC)

Father Brown star Mark Williams has recalled the moment he fell off the clergyman sleuth's bike while chasing a baddie.

The new series, Father Brown season 12, is now available on BBC Player, and it again sees the Harry Potter actor play the charismatic priest who whizzes around Kembleford solving crimes on his trusty bike. Unfortunately, not everything always goes to plan shooting the hit series and Mark says that he caused a lot of hilarity when he managed to get tipped off the bike.

"I once had to cycle in pursuit of a baddie and hit some deep gravel,” he explains. "We shot the scene in front of a hotel and I ended up coming to an ungraceful stop. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get off in time so I fell off sideways. A young lad in the hotel kitchen saw me keel over and collapsed in laughter. I was very happy to give that lad the best laugh of his week."

Father Brown season 12 cast

(Image credit: BBC)

Despite this incident, Mark says he does "love" Father Brown's bike. "It's a Pashley, made in Stratford with old-fashioned drum gears it's actually very good uphill which is a blessing."

As for the new series, Mark promises there are some cracking cases for Father Brown to solve. "In this series, we have another Flambeau episode, and this time we are on a secret mission from the Vatican. I love the Flambeau episodes, it feels like we are in a 1950s thriller and John Light plays him to the hilt. We also have a battle re-enactment in which I got to fight a duel with an expert swordsman, although Father Brown was somewhat handicapped by only having an umbrella. We also have a long awaited wedding, although it isn’t easy getting the happy couple to the altar!"

Father Brown with Hercule Flambeau

Father Brown with Hercule Flambeau (Image credit: BBC)

There's no sign of Father Brown ending and he reveals there are some storylines he'd like to see in the show. "There are stories we haven't done yet that I hope for. Horse racing, the life of Cotswold shepherds, and I'd love to do an English Civil War story as the Cotswolds was the centre of the action."

All 10 parts of Father Brown season 12 are on BBC iPlayer now. Father Brown returns to BBC One on Friday, January 10 at 2.00 pm.

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David Hollingsworth
David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!

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