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John Simm has confirmed he will return as DS Roy Grace in the beloved ITV drama.

On Sunday (April 19), Grace fans were left on tenterhooks as the sixth series of the gripping crime thriller came to a stunning conclusion.

Having solved his latest case, DS Roy Grace (John Simm) was preparing for his fairytale ending as his wedding day with Cleo (Zoe Tapper) drew near, only to be handed footage retrieved from a Munich hospital on the day his wife Sandy had died.

Within the recording, a man lurking through the hospital corridors was identified as gang leader Albazi, who had been making life a misery for Roy's son and DI Glenn Branson (Richie Campbell) for digging too close to the truth.

Despite initially believing Albazi had been caught, allowing Roy and Cleo to celebrate and exchange their vows, the couple soon discovered that one of Albazi's henchmen had sneaked into the UK, secured a job in catering, and was secretly operating at his Brighton wedding, reports The Mirror.

Branson and Grace leaped into action, but upon discovering that Cleo had been abducted after bravely fighting off the criminal to shield Bruno, his entire world was turned upside down.

The episode ended with a desperate Grace crying "What do you want?" to Albazi over the phone, after watching his new bride gagging and screaming in her wedding dress - a clear precursor to a seventh series.

Following the nail-biting cliffhanger, ITV confirmed on Tuesday (April 21) that John Simm will reprise his iconic role for a brand-new series alongside co-stars Richie Campbell and Zoë Tapper.

The forthcoming season will comprise four compelling, entirely new standalone films, drawn from characters featured in the best-selling Roy Grace novels by world-renowned author Peter James.

These fresh investigations will include the titles 'When You Are Dead' and 'Picture You Dead', with the remaining titles yet to be announced as the series takes shape.

As Grace is recommissioned for a new run, John Simm expressed his delight at stepping back into the shoes of DS Roy Grace once more.

He explained, "Honestly, if someone had said we'd be doing this for seven seasons when we first started this in lockdown, I would never have believed it.

"But the reason I and many others have remained part of this series for so long is down to the team and the writing. It continues to excite and be such a joy for all, and we can't wait to see what's coming next."

Also expressing enthusiasm for a new series of the much-loved detective drama, Executive Producer Phil Hunter said: "Straight off the back of the success of series 6 on ITV and ITVX, I'm thrilled that we are back for a 7th series.

"Following Cleo's kidnap, we pick up Grace and his team under more pressure than ever for what promises to be another propulsive and explosive run of episodes."

Hunter added: "I can't wait to see our brilliant cast and crew rise to the challenge of shooting another four stories based on Peter James' iconic characters."

Grace is available to stream on ITVX