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Father Brown returned to BBC One and BBC iPlayer with series 13 on Friday, January 9. The new season saw Mark Williams reprise his role as Father Brown, the crime busting clergyman based on the classic character created by GK Chesterton.

The new series, which airs weekly at 2pm, has also seen the return of fan favourite cast members including Tom Chambers as Inspector Sullivan, Claudie Blakley as the new Mrs Isabel Sullivan, Ruby-May Martinwood as Brenda and John Burton as Sergeant Goodfellow. As well as Nancy Carroll as Lady Felicia, John Light as Hercule Flambeau, Lex Shrapnel as Father Lazarus, Roger May as Canon Fox and Kieran Hodgson as Father Lindsey.

Mrs McCarthy, played by Sorcha Cusack, has also made a surprise return to the show after four years, while guest stars such as Coronation Street's Maureen Lipman and Absolutely Fabulous' Julia Sawalha have also been cast.

As always, the locations in Father Brown are a hot topic, thanks to the series serving up picturesque views of the English countryside season after season.

Father Brown is set in the fictional village of Kembleford, with much of the shows scenes shot around the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire, while the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Blockley doubles as Father Brown's own church.

However, there were a couple of Cotswolds filming locations in series 13 that stood out to Mark Williams. He shared: "My father was an architect, and he taught me to look at buildings.

"This year on Father Brown has been an absolute pleasure; we filmed in a remarkable National Trust-owned pub, The Fleece Inn, we filmed in a disused convent with a chapel built designed by Ninian Comper which is a jewel, we were in the best Baroque church in the UK at Great Witley, and also at a real prison."

He revealed: "I get very excited about filming in remarkable buildings because it sets the scene so very well."

Ruby May-Martinwood, who plays Brenda, also spoke about the "gorgeous" filming locations in series 13. Speaking about her favourite moments on set this year, she said: "We had a Father Brown Run Club - set up by the lovely camera crew! This was great for crew and cast to spend some time together and get fit! And of course Mark's spirit, experience and humour got us all through each day!

"We filmed a Yoga episode this year which I really enjoyed, it was in a beautiful location like most of the Cotswolds, we're very lucky to be filming in such a gorgeous place in the country."

Series 13 also saw filming take place at Weston-super-Mare beach. Speaking about filming there, Mark said: "I have been angling for years for us to go to the seaside, because a trip on the charabanc is so 1950s.

"We finally worked it out and we went, of course, to Weston-super-Mare, which was the first port of call for anybody in the Midlands because it is the closest seaside. We had a great time there and, of course, we ate the regulatory fish and chips. We also had the wonderful company of Maureen Lipman, Alex Macqueen and Julia Sawalha as our guest stars in that episode."

The thirteenth series of Father Brown picks up where the last season left off following the wedding of the new Mr and Mrs Sullivan. A synopsis reads: "Following the jubilant wedding celebrations at the end of series 12, the new Mr and Mrs Sullivan settle into married life and a new home, with Isabel thrilled to be welcomed into the Policeman's Wives Society.

"Meanwhile, Brenda goes on a journey of self-empowerment as she covers the role of Parish Secretary and learns to drive with the help of Sergeant Goodfellow. Father Brown is tasked by Flambeau to visit Father Lazarus in prison, resulting in a deadly game of cat and mouse which ruffles the feathers of Canon Fox.

"With his consecration now looming, Bishop-Elect Fox plans to enact his revenge upon Father Brown, leaving Kembleford changed forever. And in a Father Brown first - the group take a trip to the seaside!"

Father Brown continues on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 2pm on Friday, January 23.