has returned to One for season 12 and fans have remembered some of the old faces of the long-running series. Hugo Speer said goodbye to the cast during season eight, as Inspector Valentine.
Inspector Valentine formed part of the original cast and he went on to have a number of successors. The inspector was head of the local police force who secretly admired Father Brown (Mark Williams).
However, his admiration was conflicted with a deep frustration at the priest’s unpredictable ways. The inspector was keen to work amicably with the priest his unorthodox ways often left Valentine scolded.
Still, over the years he learned to respect Father Brown’s methods and admitted he would miss him when he left.
He was promoted to Detective Chief Inspector and moved to London but returned in the final episode of series eight, The Tower of Lost Souls.
(Image: BBC)
It appears the actor left the series to move on to pastures new including the series London Kills and Shadow and Bone.
He also appeared in the film Trick or Treat as the comedian.
The 55-year-old actor, from Harrogate, most recently played Guy in The Full Monty in 2023.
Don’t miss… [DISCUSSION]
Father Brown: Inspector Valentine joined in season 1 (Image: BBC)
Viewers may be interested to hear the actor also played the first-ever cop in Death in Paradise.
The first British police officer in the detective series is DI Charlie Hulme.
When the star’s character returned to Father Brown, he seemed to be a changed man.
The episode ended with him hiking with the priest and giving him a police badge.
Father Brown: Hugo Speer with Mark Williams (Image: BBC)
Inspector Valentine was replaced by Inspector Sullivan, played by Tom Chambers.
He was first introduced at the start of the second series and marked the start of a long line of successors.
The job then went to Inspector Mallory (Jack Deam), who left ahead of the new season.
Actor Speer went on to have a fruitful career since his first appearance in the series in 2013.
Father Brown: Hugo Speer was the first police officer (Image: BBC)
He starred as a series regular in The Musketeers, playing Minister Treville.
Following this, he played Lucius in the series Britannia and Frank Young in the detective series Marcella.
The star married Vivienne Harvey in 2015 and he has a daughter called Nico Belle.
Other cast members to leave Father Brown over the years include Keith Osborn as Sergeant Albright and Kasia Koleczek as “Susie” Jasinski.
Father Brown airs on One on Fridays