Cosy crime drama Sister Boniface Mysteries is back for fourth season with Lorna Watson reprising her role as the scooter-riding crime-solving nun who knows her way around a Bunsen burner and this time there are eight new mysteries to solve in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Great Slaughter.
Once again, the bespectacled wimple-wearing sleuth, who has her own forensics lab at St Vincent’s Convent, will be assisting DI Sam Gillespie (Max Brown) and DS Felix Livingstone (Jerry Iwu), along with WPC Peggy Button (Ami Metcalf), as they face more baffling murder cases in this new run of the Father Brown spin-off.
Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 release date
The UK premiere of the eight-part series was on U&Drama on Friday, September 26 at 9 pm. New episodes will air in the same place on a weekly basis, but you'll also be able to stream all episodes of Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 on U.
Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 began streaming on BritBox in the US on August 19, 2024.
Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 cast
Lorna Watson as Sister Boniface
Lorna plays the forensic-scientist Catholic nun who is a big fan of Agatha Christie, rides about in a motorbike-and-sidecar combination and has a host of other talents that come in handy while solving mysteries in Great Slaughter.
Comedian and actor Lorna Watson first played the forensic-scientist nun in the first series of Father Brown in 2013. She appeared in the second episode of the 10-part run, "The Bride of Christ", which saw her help the sleuthing priest as he investigated the murder of two nuns.
From 2012 to 2013, Lorna and her comedy partner Ingrid Oliver appeared in the sketch show Watson & Oliver on BBC2. They co-wrote the series with Black Books writer Kevin Cecil and comedian and actor Alex Lowe, best known for his comedy character, medium Clinton Baptiste, who first appeared in Phoenix Nights.
Lorna has also appeared in Lead Balloon, Horrible Histories, The IT Crowd, The Catherine Tate Show and Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.
Max Brown as DI Sam Gillespie
Max plays the detective inspector who has an eye for the ladies – especially journalist Ruth Penny – and relies on Sister Boniface to help him crack cases.
Max made his television debut in 2001, playing heart-throb Danny Hartston in long-running children’s drama Grange Hill.
He went on to have roles in Crossroads, Hollyoaks, Doctors, Casualty, Mistresses, Spooks, Foyle’s War and The Tudors.
In the first Downton Abbey film (2019), he played Richard Ellis, the valet of King George V, who came to stay at the stately home with his wife Queen Mary. Richard was a romantic interest for butler Thomas Barrow.
Jerry Iwu as DS Felix Livingstone
Jerry plays the detective sergeant who travelled from his home country Bermuda to join Scotland Yard in London, but found himself in Great Slaughter by mistake. Initially, he planned to leave as soon as he could, but later couldn’t bring himself to leave the Cotswolds village and its oddball residents.
Jerry’s previous TV credits include 5’s police procedural drama Intruder, ITV1 crime drama Innocent and Netflix hit Sex Education.
He also appeared in the 2017 film Halal Daddy.
Ami Metcalf as WPC Peggy Button
Ami plays woman police constable Peggy Button, who’s often referred to as the best WPC in the county - although the jury’s out if there are any other WPCs in Gloucestershire! She often has to fend off the amorous attentions of her former classmate Norman Whalley, who now works as a news reporter at The Albion Bugle.
Ami rose to fame as Sapphire Cox in BBC1’s long-running soap Doctors and won the Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor or Actress at the 2010 British Soap Awards.
She’s also appeared in Bad Education, Call the Midwife, Silent Witness, Father Brown and Birds of a Feather.
Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 – Other returning cast
The main cast will be joined by the regular supporting cast, which includes Robert Dawes as Chief Constable Lowsley, David Sterne as the indecipherable Tom Thomas, Belinda Lang as B&B owner Mrs Vera Clam, Sarah Crowden as the dotty Miss Dotty Thimble, Jack Gouldbourne as Norman Walley, reporter for local newspaper The Albion Bugle, and Olivia Lovibond as journalist Ruth Penny.
Meanwhile, at St Vincent’s Convent, Carolyn Pickles returns as Reverend Mother Adrian, alongside Virginia Fiol as Sister Reg and Tina Chiang as Sister Peter.
Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 guest stars
The first episode of the series features former Doctors star Elisabeth Dermott Walsh in a dual role as very different twin sisters, while Dan Skinner, best known for his comedy character Angelos Epithemiou, and Nathan McMullen (Misfits) play American actors Walt North and Brett Hyde, who are the leads in Batman-style show, Foxman.
Later in the series look out for Rab C Nesbitt and Two Doors Down star Elaine C Smith as Mrs Clam’s fun-loving sister Jeanie and former Holby City star Bob Barrett, who played Sacha Levy in the long-running medical drama.
Also guest-starring are, Tony Gardner (Last Tango in Halifax, My Parents Are Aliens), Gordon Kennedy (Absolutely, Robin Hood), Hotel Portofino’s Oliver Dench, Joe Tracini, who’s best known for his role as Dennis Savage in Hollyoaks, and Emily Joyce, who starred in superhero comedy My Hero, which ran for six seasons from 2000 to 2006.
Is there a trailer?
There isn't a trailer for Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 yet, but we will post it here when there is.
Sister Boniface Mysteries season 4 episodes
During this fourth season of Sister Boniface Mysteries, a bucking bronco goes haywire on the set of a game show, a killer scarecrow stalks the streets of Great Slaughter and the diva co-star on American action series Foxman plummets to her death in a stunt gone wrong. Meanwhile, Reverend Mother Adrian is hiding a secret about the future of St Vincent’s Convent and CC Lowsley arranges a team-building exercise… Here’s more about the eight-part series.
EPISODE 1 – BIFF! POW! ZAP!
American TV show Foxman is filming its series finale at Lord Matthew Sedgewick’s (Sam Alexander) stately home. Walt North (Dan Skinner) plays Foxman, but he is less than gracious to Brett Hyde (Nathan McMullen), who plays sidekick Beaver, frequently upstaging him. To make matters worse, dedicated producer/director Hank Sawyer (David Bedella) has hired the biggest diva in England to play the Minx, Camilla Cattermole (Elisabeth Dermot Walsh). Camilla is instantly attracted to Sam (Max Brown), but he is drawn to her long-suffering twin sister and stunt double, Jane (also played by Elisabeth Dermot Walsh).
Later, when Camilla insists on doing a stunt on a zipline, the rope snaps and she plummets to her death. Swooping in to investigate, Sister Boniface discovers it was an act of sabotage. By why, and by whom?
EPISODE 2 – A MURDER OF CROWS
It’s the annual Scarecrow Festival in Great Slaughter and the locals proudly display their scarecrows hoping for a chance at nabbing the £500 cash prize.
Martin Hubbard (Tony Gardner) is the favourite to win the annual Scarecrow Festival with his effigy of Winston Churchill and will stop at nothing to come out on top.
Later, however, he’s found dead with a mouth stuffed with straw!
As Sister Boniface and Sam investigate, their main lead is Miss Dotty Thimble, who claims a scarecrow killed Martin.
She may be Dotty by name and dotty by nature, but could Miss Thimble be right? Especially after intrepid reporter Norman Whalley also spots a scarecrow seemingly coming to life.
Is there really a killer scarecrow on the loose in Great Slaughter?
EPISODE 3 – ARE YE DANCIN’?
Mrs Clam’s (Belinda Lang) sister Jeanie McIntyre (Elaine C Smith) returns to Great Slaughter after decades living in Scotland. She’s planned a surprise birthday ceilidh for Mrs Clam and has travelled down with jovial husband Angus (Gordon Kennedy) and their musician son Callum (Calum Gulvin).
They are joined by the rest of the ceilidh band; the severe John Adams (John Mackay) and his children, Jimmy (Joseph Prowen) and Maggie (Alyth Ross).
After John forbids the siblings from going out for the evening, they sneak out to the pub for a sing-song, but their furious dad soon storms in and drags them away in front of the other punters.
The next morning, John’s body is found slain under the cake table in the village hall…
With a list of suspects, including Angus, Callum, Jimmy and Maggie, to get through, can Sister Boniface locate the murder weapon and identify the killer?
EPISODE 4 – KILLER HEELS
As the launch of Groovy Shoo’s fashionable new go-go boot approaches, the women working in the factory are informed they must work longer hours by tight-fisted owner Arthur Millington (Peter Wight).
Union leader Bernice McDowell (Dani Moseley) complains that they should be paid overtime, but her hard-up friend Daisy Dunn (Amy Murphy) doesn’t want to rock the boat.
When Arthur is later found dead on his office floor, Sister Boniface smells bitter almonds and deduces that he was poisoned!
As the women’s pay dispute leads to a strike, Sister Boniface is hot on the heels of a killer as she must navigate the picket line while trying to find out who murdered Arthur…
EPISODE 5 – LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Game show Let The Games Begin is filming in Great Slaughter and CC Lowsley has his eyes on the cash prize to raise funds for the retired police dog charity.
As Lowsley pairs up with Mrs Clam, Felix teams up with spiky aspiring actress Denise (Keturah Chambers) and Norman forms the third duo with Miss Thimble.
Turns out the show’s host Freddie Fuller (Jonny Weldon) isn’t as charming as he is on TV, especially to his PA Malcolm Everett (Joe Tracini) and glamourous assistant Angela Ainsworth (Hayley Johnston). And when Freddie announces that the show is moving to the USA, producer Giles Penistone (Bob Barrett) is fuming.
When a Bucking Bronco goes out of control on the set of the popular game show, Sister Boniface finds herself investigating a murder that was intended for Freddie…
With Freddie having narrowly avoided death, can our sleuth find the killer before they strike again?
EPISODE 6 – THERE’S NO ‘I’ IN SLAUGHTER
Sam, Felix and Peggy aren’t exactly cock-a-hoop when they find themselves spending a weekend at an old army base,
It’s been organised by CC Lowsley with ex-cop Len Shepherd (Phil Cornwell) leading them in a series of team-building exercises.
Great Slaughter’s cops will be competing against their Stowington Police rivals, with Lowsley’s enemy, CC Horace Winthrop (Mark McDonnell), leading the team, who he frequently undermines. And it soon becomes clear he has beef with Len, too.
When Winthrop is later found dead, it looks like his death was an accident, but Sister Boniface soon finds evidence to the contrary…
EPISODE 7 – THE HAPPIEST FAMILY
Reverend Mother Adrian surprises the sisters with a wholesome weekend away. However, they soon encounter a group of naked hedonists frolicking in the swimming pool!
The house where they are staying has been double-booked with Charity Gray (Genesis Lynea) having booked her stay to celebrate her birthday with inventor Miles Fletcher (Oliver Dench), hairdresser Vivian Ashbrook (Sophie Ablett) and Dr Saatvik Bose (Jaz Singh Deol).
Surprisingly, the Reverend Mother claims there is room for all and they should continue with their plans.
Sister Reg knows Charity from her pre-nun life in Soho, and she’s not best pleased when her former acquaintance teases her about her past indiscretions.
The next day, when Charity is found dead in her bed, the evidence stacks up against Sister Reg…
Can Sister Boniface clear her fellow nun's name and find the real killer?
EPISODE 8 – AND THEN THERE WERE NUN
It looks like the end of an era for the nuns of St Vincent’s, when Reverend Mother Adrian and Lord Matthew Sedgewick hand over the keys to property developer Ronny Panesar (Alistair Toovey).
As town councillor Lynn Goodwin (Emily Joyce) reveals the model for the new housing development to Ruth Penny, Sam is devastated that this will mean parting company with Sister Boniface.
Meanwhile, Sister Boniface’s heroine, archaeologist Sister Helena (Rachel Bell), wants to document the chapel before the historic interior is ripped out, but a row breaks out between her and Lynn and Ronny, and a few hours later the sister is found bludgeoned to death in the chapel.
Can Sister Boniface catch the killer before the nuns are forced to leave Great Slaughter for good?
Q&A with Lorna Watson, who plays Sister Boniface
Hi Lorna, so you’re back as Sister Boniface, in her habit and wimple…
"Yes. I love the costume. You transform as soon as you put it on. It just changes the way you move and it changes the way you listen because everything's a bit muffled under the wimple. You get used to it but when you take it off at the end of the day, it's like hatching out of an egg. Suddenly you can hear and the world is different! I'm still getting rid of the tan line from the wimple. Even if you wear sun cream, you still get an embarrassing 'nun tan line' on your face! It's not the best, but my hair covers it, which is great."
What can you tell us about the fourth series?
"A lot happens in this series. I'm always amazed by what the writers come up with next. An overarching theme of the series is that all is not what it seems at the convent. There is this slight panic for the Reverend Mother, who goes on quite a journey in this series because it looks like we may lose the convent. She's trying to keep things running smoothly and keep a tight ship, but the nuns are none the wiser up until a certain point. ‘Nun the wiser!’ Ha!"
What can you tell us about some of the mysteries that Sister Boniface is faced with this time around?
"There’s such a diverse range of stories. Opening the series, we have this sort of homage to the 1960s Batman show called Foxman. It’s called Biff! Pow! Zap! It’s about this American series, Foxman, that is shooting its series finale at this stately home in the Cotswolds. And there's a murder, naturally, or we wouldn't bother turning up! We had so much fun filming that episode. Dan Skinner and Nathan McMullen star as the actors Walt North and Brett Hyde, who play Foxman and his sidekick Beaver, and they played those characters so brilliantly. Elisabeth Dermot Walsh [who played Zara in Doctors] plays twins in that episode, too. I don’t know how she did it. It was extraordinary. But yeah, so we had a lot of fun. It was so much fun."
Tell us about some of the other episodes…
"We also have Mrs Clam’s surprise birthday with [Two Doors Down star] Elaine C Smith playing her sister. Then there’s a game show episode where Miss Thimble, Norman Whalley, Mrs Clam and CC Lousey all have to team together, and they have to do various silly things like dancing the tango and so on. Obviously, there’s another murder. Also, the nuns leave the convent. Reverend Mother Adrian's feeling so guilty about everything that's going on, she decides to treat them to a trip. Basically, they arrive at this lovely retreat, only to find it's been double booked, and they have spend their weekend there with these people who are a bunch of people that the nuns wouldn't normally hang out with, let's just say. The nuns end up in a swimming pool at the end, which is something I never thought I’d see on this show!
"There’s also a really lovely episode where the female workers in this boot factory are sick and tired of not having equal pay and the same rights as their male counterparts. They stage a strike, and Mrs Clam gets very vocal on the loud hailer, which is just brilliant!"
Sister Boniface is often seen drifting into a daydream or a trance. Are there more of those moments in this series?
"Yes, those bits are really fun and quirky, and really quite unique. I don't know any other show that does that. But it is a fun way of showing the audience where Sister Boniface’s brain is going, and it’s nice to see it broken down in layman's terms, with visuals to back it up. It’s a good way of showing how she's linking thoughts, linking clues and so on. We don't get an insight into her brain otherwise and it’s nice to show that in a lighthearted way. It’s a little bit of light relief, a bit of silliness. We always enjoy doing them, that's for sure, and just when you think they couldn't get any dafter, they do!"
Talking of silliness, in the first episode, Sister Boniface describes Foxman as a slice of silliness. Do you think that’s a good way of describing Sister Boniface Mysteries as well?
"Yes it does. I'm a big fan of silly. My whole career has been a bit silly, really. And I like the fact that there are contrasts in the show. There are really tender moments, there are dramatic moments, there are edge of your seat moments and there are serious moments. And to sandwich those moments with a slice of silly I think is good for the show. It's nice for the audience, and I think it also is what helps this show have that more palatable. It is about murder at the end of the day!"
You were just talking about ‘tender moments’ and in the first episode there’s a lovely moment where Sister Boniface voices what Sam means to her…
"I really loved that. And there is another tender moment between Sam and Sister Boniface later in the series, too. Until now, they have this unexpected but lovely working relationship and friendship. It's really nice to explore what they mean to each other. They're not usually very demonstrative, but they definitely have each other's backs. He’s very protective of her, and she looks out for him. To have an episode where they put it into words is very lovely to see and certainly lovely to play. We both enjoyed exploring that. I hope I wasn't too snotty nosed!"
A running joke of the series is Miss Thimble and her horrendous culinary creations. And she's at it again with more bizarre fare, including a three-tier birthday cake with a layer of liver and onion meatloaf! Has anyone ever been tempted to sample her wares?
"I seem to recall a Thimble spread of strange delicacies in the first episode. There was all sorts going on. Never at any point did I feel tempted to try any. But it is a running joke that I love and I’m always intrigued to see what they come up with. I don’t think they are safe for human consumption."
Tell us about filming the series in the Cotswolds. You must miss it when you're not there?
"It's really magical and I think, because we're four seasons in now, we are like a massive family and it’s a big old reunion every year. Everyone knows each other very well now, cast and crew. It's a really lovely working environment. I mean the guest cast often comment on it actually. They say how friendly, warm, funny, fun it is to work on the show. And that backdrop, it just never gets old. It's so beautiful there. We do work long hours, but who cares? You're in the Cotswolds, in the sunshine and it’s lovely. I can't complain. I feel very lucky."
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