John Simm filming new crime drama Grace

John Simm has started filming new crime drama \'Grace\'.

The 50-year-old actor is set to play tenacious detective Roy Grace in the upcoming ITV adaptation of Peter James\' novels, which will be broadcast in two feature length instalments.

The upcoming films - based on the \'Dead Simple\' and \'Looking Good Dead\' books - will be shot in Brighton with \'Morse\' writer Russell Lewis handling the script.

He said: "I\'m thrilled and honoured to be involved in bringing Peter James\' brilliantly gripping series of Roy Grace novels to ITV.

"Each story is a fantastic, hair-raising, twisting, switch-back of a roller-coaster ride that grips the reader from first to last, and the opportunity to translate that best-selling magic to television is like all one\'s Christmases and birthdays come at once.

"As his millions of fans and admirers are well aware, Peter\'s meticulous research and eye for detail is the stuff of legend.

"His long established, close relationship with the police, taken together with a knowledge of Brighton and the South Coast that is the sole preserve of the born and bred lends his stories an unimpeachable veracity of place and procedure.

"That John Simm will be breathing flesh to the bones of Roy Grace really is the cherry on a dark, and troublingly encrimsoned cake..."

And Peter himself added: "John Simm, who actually looks like the Roy Grace of my imagination, is inspired casting!

"With John in the lead, the brilliant scripting by Russell Lewis, and our wonderful production team, I\'m confident that fans of my novels and of TV crime dramas in general will be in for a treat."

John will be joined by Richie Campbell (DS Glenn Branson) and Rakie Ayola as ACC Vosper.

Laura Elphinstone will play DS Bella Moy, Amaka Okafor joins as DC Emma Jane Boutwood, and Brad Morrison has been cast as DC Nicholl.