Granite Harbour on BBC1 is a new three-part police drama that sees Small Axe star Romario Simpson playing former soldier-turned-cop Davis Lindo.
After his final tour he’s sent to train as a detective constable in the northeast of Scotland, where he’s paired up with mentor DCI Tara ‘Bart’ Bartlett (Annika star Hannah Donaldson). And first up they must solve the murder of an oil industry bigwig.
Granite Harbour began filming in Aberdeenshire and Glasgow in April 2022, so here’s everything you need to know about the three-part drama series which you can enjoy on BBC1 when it starts in early December 2022...
Granite Harbour release date
Granite Harbour begins on BBC1 on Friday December 2 at 7pm and all three episodes are box-setted on BBCiPlayer from that date. If the crime drama is released in the US and internationally we'll update with the air date here.
Is there a trailer for Granite Harbour?
The BBC has released a trailer for Granite Harbour which shows Davis Lindo arriving in Scotland for his new detective job. Take a look at below...
Granite Harbour plot
Granite Harbour follows the new life of Lance Corporal Davis Lindo (Romario Simpson), who after his final tour with the Royal Military Police hopes to become a detective at New Scotland Yard. Instead, his dreams are scuppered and he’s sent to train as a detective constable in Aberdeen, which is a world away from everything the soldier has ever known. Luckily Davis is paired up with his mentor DCI Tara 'Bart' Bartlett, a streetwise, razor-sharp Scot who is used to working alone. Together the unlikely duo must investigate the murder of one of Aberdeen’s most recognisable faces from the oil industry which sees them thrust into a corporate battle.
Granite Harbour cast — Romario Simpson interview on playing Davis Lindo
Romario Simpson plays the lead Granite Harbour character of Davis Lindo. He recently played Barnaby Mabunda in the BBC1 series Noughts and Crosses. He was also in the TV series Dixi and played Lizard in Small Axe.
"Davis Lindo is a young man who’s completed his final tour with the Royal Military Police and comes into a new environment to train as a detective," says Romraio. "He’s completely different from everyone else in the team and his military experience sometimes gets in the way. You see him navigate his mistakes and follow his intuition. He’s thrown in at the deep end and he has to adapt."
After DCI Cora McMillian (Holby City’s Dawn Steele) pairs Lindo up with DS Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett (Hannah Donaldson), he’s keen to throw himself into their first case - the suspicious death of energy company executive Clellan Coburn. But Lindo’s hot-headed approach to the investigation means Bart keeps having to rein him in…
"Lindo has an affinity to be a hero because he’s spent a decade as a soldier,’ explains Romario. ‘When it comes to danger, he’s willing to put himself in first, in order to save a life - that’s how he’s been trained. But in a detective environment, that isn’t the right decision to make because you’ve got to think about your team.
"Lindo has a yearning to trust someone and Bart is the first person he can confide in. They develop a beautiful friendship. Bart really has Lindo’s back, and that’s what he needs to survive in this environment.
"The whole point is that Lindo stands out like a sore thumb in this environment, so the bright, salmon-pink shirt and dapper suits were great for giving him poise and finesse. It was great to wear a suit every morning.
Romario Simpson thoroughly enjoyed filming Granite Harbour. "My whole experience of filming in Scotland was amazing. I’m a London boy – used to traffic, rush hour and people not really speaking – so being in Aberdeen, where everyone was curious, was a breath of fresh air! It’s a beautiful city."
Hannah Donaldson on playing DCI Tara ‘Bart’ Bartlett
Hannah Donaldson plays DCI Tara ‘Bart’ Bartlett. She's previously starred in Scottish crime dramas such as Rebus and Case Histories. She also starred as Charly Hendricks in the series Murder Island, the show that challenged the public to solve an Ian Rankin murder mystery. She’s also been in Shetland, Deadwater Fell, the Demon Headmaster and Annika.
Hannah told us: "Bart is ferociously ambitious, loyal, and dedicated to her job. She’s given so much to her career, yet we see across the series that her progression hasn’t rewarded her in the way that she hoped. She finds Lindo difficult at first, because he doesn’t play by the rules and that’s frustrating for her.
"Bart respects Lindo’s experience, but there’s a scene in the first episode where they’re discussing how he’s stepped over the line several times and she’s like, ‘We understand where you’re coming from, but you can’t treat us like this!’ It’s a good platform for their relationship to develop.
"One day we filmed a protest scene in Castlegate, and I could see people milling around, obviously thinking it was a protest that anyone could join! Someone asked if they could be extras, I think it’s great getting Aberdeen locals involved!"
Who else is starring Granite Harbour?
Granite Harbour also stars Holby City and Liar actress Dawn Steele as their boss, DCI Cora MacMillan, who asks them to investigate the death of a high-profile energy executive. Meanwhile Gary Lewis (Vigil) and Fiona Bell (The Nest) round out the cast.
Granite Harbour episode guide
Here's our brief guide to all three episodes of BBC1's Granite Harbour...
Episode 1: Friday December 2, 7pm
Having completed his final tour with the Royal Military Police, Lindo dreams of being a detective at New Scotland Yard. However, he finds himself being sent to train as a Detective Constable in the North East of Scotland, where he must quickly adapt to his new life in the city, a world away from anything he has known before. Lindo finds an ally in his mentor, DCI Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett (Hannah Donaldson), a razor-sharp, streetwise Aberdonian who is used to going solo. Together, this unlikely partnership must navigate the choppy waters of their first case: the murder of one of Aberdeen’s most recognisable faces from the oil industry. Suddenly, Lindo and Bartlett find themselves thrust into a corporate battle between old and new energy. The high-profile death stuns the city, leading to a murder investigation with historic roots as Trainee Detective Davis Lindo is thrown in at the deep end, forced to navigate a city and a force completely alien to him.
Episode 2: Friday December 16, 8pm
As the search for Isla gets underway, Lindo and the team continue the murder investigation. A surprise visitor to the station stuns the team, leading to a high-profile arrest.
Episode 3: Friday December 23, 8pm
In the final episode of Granite Harbour, MacMillan and the team grill Shay while Lindo finds himself out in the cold. Despite this, Lindo continues to investigate Clellan’s death, leading to a shocking discovery which blows the case wide open.
