BritBox South Africa has a double dose of coastal intrigue in store for viewers this August, with second seasons of popular crime dramas Grace and Whitstable Pearl launching this month.  

Coming to BritBox in August 
Grantchester (new & exclusive to BritBox)  
Season 8 
Thursday 3 August 2023 (two new episodes weekly)  
The highly popular crime drama Grantchester returns to BritBox for an eighth season, starring Robson Green (Soldier Soldier, Touching Evil) as DI Geordie Keating and Tom  Brittney (Call the Midwife, Outlander) as Reverend Will Davenport. 

The opening episode sees Will the happiest he’s ever been, but soon his world will be rocked as he deals with a terrible accident. He’s always preached the word of a compassionate God – but how can he now, when his despair leads him on a dangerous downward spiral? Meanwhile, Geordie has found new contentment in his relationship with Cathy, but when they’re both confronted with shocking announcements at work their  happiness is threatened.  

As Mrs C, Leonard, Jack and Daniel rally around, both Will and Geordie find themselves in unfamiliar, emotional waters and, as always, murder is just around the corner. Set in the 1950s and ’60s, all eight seasons of Grantchester are available to binge exclusively on BritBox. 

Grace  (new & exclusive to BritBox)  
Season 2 
Thursday 10 August 2023 

Grace Series 2 Episode 1

More “seaside noir” is heading to our screens in August in the second season of acclaimed crime drama Grace, with season one already available to binge on BritBox. John Simm (Doctor Who, Life on Mars, State of Play) returns as Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, alongside Richie Campbell (Top Boy, Liar) as DS Glenn Branson, for four more distinctly deadly feature-length films.  

In episode one, Looking Good Dead, Grace suspects the sudden death of a former schoolteacher may not be a drugs overdose as first assumed, and his investigation leads him and Glenn into the disturbing underworld of the dark web and snuff films. 

Grace Series 2 Episode 1

From the pen of acclaimed screenwriter Russell Lewis (the creator of Endeavour, also available on BritBox), Grace is an adaptation of Peter James’s best-selling crime novels. It also stars Rakie Ayola (Anthony, Shetland), Zoë Tapper (Liar, The One) and Craig Parkinson(Line of Duty). 

“Superb, layered character acting from its lead.”  

– The Telegraph

Whitstable Pearl (new & exclusive to BritBox) 
Season 2 
Thursday 24 August 2023

Pearl and Tom

The acclaimed crime drama Whitstable Pearl, based on the novels by Julie Wassmer, returns for six new episodes, courtesy of edgy Norwegian filmmaker Øystein Karlsen (Exit, Dag, Lilyhammer).  

Jimi

The beautiful English seaside town of Whitstable is home to single mother Pearl Nolan (Kerry Godliman – Derek, After Life), who divides her time between serving up tasty seafood delicacies in the Whitstable Pearl restaurant with her mother (Frances Barber – Trick or Treat, Silk) and solving the crimes, debauchery and murder regularly brought in by the tide. The British seaside holiday will never be the same again!  

Mike

Season two sees our amateur sleuth becoming immersed in more crime, family drama and a compelling will-they-won’t-they love affair with Mike (Howard Charles – The Musketeers, Top Boy), all set against the stunning backdrop of Whitstable’s mysterious Kentish coastline. In the opening episode, Pearl is hired by local ex-soldier Dan Tomlin, whose son has disappeared under questionable circumstances. 

“A darker version of Murder, She Wrote.” 

– New York Post 

Coming to BritBox in September 
Avoidance (new & exclusive to BritBox) 
Season 1 
Thursday 14 September 2023 

Double BAFTA-winning comedian Romesh Ranganathan(The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, The Weakest Link)writes and stars in new comedy-drama Avoidance, about a man with severe conflict-avoidance issues who runs away with his son when his wife tells him she’s leaving him. 

Newly separated Jonathan (Ranganathan) has no home, no friends and no ambition. Can a slightly useless single dad find some much-needed backbone? This warm-hearted comedy co-stars some of the biggest hitters on the current UK comedy scene, including Jessica Knappett (The Inbetweeners, Ghosts) and Mandeep Dhillon(After Life, Peacock). 

“This gentle, truthful, beautifully performed comedy about the ultimate beta male is painful in its accuracy – and will speak to so many of us.”  

– The Guardian

The BritBox app is now available in South Africa on the DStv Explora Ultra and Streama devices and as an add-to-bill option for all DStv subscribers. The app is also available on Android TV, including enabled Smart TVs, Google Chromecast with GoogleTV, Nvidia Shield, MiBox and MiStick, plus Android and Apple mobile/tablets, FireTV, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV and selected Hisense, Toshiba and OEM branded VIDAA smart TVs. Enjoy one week’s free trial, sign up at R99,99 per month and register for email updates at www.britbox.com. 

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