Causing a STIR

RISHI NAIR on Grantchester's new vicar Alphy Kottaram packing a punch

Following the tearful departure of popular Reverend Will Davenport, a new vicar roars into Grantchester in a bright red Triumph convertible this week - and he gets off to a rocky start. Rishi Nair - best known for playing Hollyoaks' Sami Maalik - stars as Grantchester's latest crime-fighting clergyman, Alphy Kottaram, in the ninth series of the beloved ITV1 drama, replacing the outgoing Will (Tom Brittney).

Unfortunately, housekeeper Mrs. Chapman (Tessa Peake-Jones) mistakes the new arrival for a burglar and tells DI Geordie Keating (Robson Green) that the vicarage is being robbed. And when Geordie tries to apprehend him, Alphy defends himself with a mean right hook! 'It was my first-day filming on set and my first scene was to punch Robson Green in the face!' says Rishi. Here, Rishi, who turns 34 on 22 January, tells the TV Times how Alphy and Geordie's relationship progresses...

Welcome to Grantchester, Rishi! Is it true that Robson, as executive producer, had a big role in casting you?