EXCLUSIVE: The beloved Grantchester star leads the 'brutal' new crime drama alongside some series A-listers.09:06, 11 Jul 2026Grantchester icon admits ‘I could lose fans’ as he leads ‘brutal’ new crime dramaA beloved Grantchester star is virtually unrecognisable as he fronts a hard-hitting new crime series alongside Hollywood heavyweights.‌Tom Brittney, widely known for portraying Reverend Will Davenport in ITV's Grantchester, is stepping into a completely contrasting role in a "brutal" historical drama rooted in the story of a real New York gang.‌The Westies, drawn from the notorious Irish American outfit of the same name, is set to debut on MGM+ (available through Amazon Prime Video ) this weekend.‌Offering a glimpse into the "chaotic" new 80s crime drama, Brittney hinted he could "lose fans" owing to his violent new character, which feels a world apart from his Grantchester days.Brittney, who portrays Jimmy Roarke in The Westies, laughed as he said: "I think I might lose a few Grantchester fans just because it's so different! But hopefully, the transition will be smooth because I know how different they are, and as an actor that's exactly what you want.‌"You want, really, to do a departure from something you've done before and I couldn't have asked for something better."It was daunting," he admitted, "Especially going from one long-running show to hopefully another one. But you know, you sign this contract and you'll hope for this to go on for a while."Going on to compare the two shows, he added: "You're spending eight hours developing a character, which I'd done with Grantchester.‌"I was very daunted to step into this world that was so different from anything I'd done before, but then there was just something about where I felt it was something I could really play. And then the more we were on set, the more I just went, 'Yeah, this is my new home now.'"The actor also admitted he felt "daunted" working alongside such an impressive roster of talent, which features Hollywood legend J. K. Simmons, Bosch star Titus Welliver, Ozark's Jessica Frances Dukes and Downton Abbey's Allen Leech.Yet Brittney needn't have worried, as he swiftly built a solid rapport with Simmons and the rest of the star-studded ensemble, reports the Express.‌Discussing their on-screen chemistry, Eamon Sweeney actor Simmons observed: "I feel like that kind of chemistry is just actors working together who respect each other and who are generous actors."You will occasionally find less generous actors who, when the camera is on you and not on them, are not as interested in doing their work."And fortunately that was not the case on this job. So, just a level of mutual respect and consideration is a big part of it, and good writing!"‌He also heaped praise on the British acting talent featured in the show, including Brittney and his co-star Stanley Morgan, who portrays Mickey Flanagan."I am always so impressed - almost always - by the British actors and their facility with the language and specifically with dialects."‌He added: "When the cameras were rolling, it was like talking to two guys from Hell's Kitchen and there was never a sense... It was jarring at times to hear Mr proper Englishman start speaking off-camera!"The official synopsis for The Westies from MGM+ reads: "The Westies is a gritty and kinetic crime drama centering on New York City's infamously violent Irish gang of the same name."The series is set in the early 1980s when the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the Westies' home turf in Hell's Kitchen promises a financial windfall.Article continues below"Despite being outnumbered fifty-to-one by the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, the Westies' legendary brutality and cunning have given them the leverage necessary to share the spoils through a fragile détente."But internal conflict between the brash younger generation and the old-school leadership threatens to set a match to this powder keg, which will sweep the Westies into the FBI's ever-deepening investigation into the Italian mafia."The Westies will premiere on 12th July 2026 exclusively on MGM+ in the UK.