The third series of award-winning drama Broadchurch will hit TV screens next week as crime-solving duo David Tennant and Olivia Colman return for one final time.

DI Alec Hardy (Tennant) and DS Ellie Miller (Colman) are called upon to investigate a serious sexual assault in the fictional Dorset town with the first episode set to air at 9pm on Monday.The pair are joined by a star-studded cast including the likes of Lenny Henry, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Sarah Parish and Charlie Higson while some of the filming was done in Clevedon and Portishead featuring locations such as Hill Road and the Salthouse Fields.Producer Dan Winch said: “With the final series we strive to entertain and to tell a brilliant story, but we’ve never lost sight of our responsibility to do justice to those who may be directly or indirectly affected by this particular investigation.

“We hope to have struck a balance which sensitively tackles the darker story elements, whilst enabling our audience to comfortably lose themselves in the world of Broadchurch each week.”

Events in the new series take place three years after those in the second, when DI Hardy and DS Miller begin to look into the rape of local woman Trish Winterman (Hesmondhalgh).

Following the discovery of a clue that leads them to the crime scene, the pair soon realise the attack was planned – and that the predator could still be at large.

Mr Tennant is sad to leave Broadchurch behind but paid tribute to the range of ‘brilliant’ actors he has been able to work with throughout the filming process.

He said: “Olivia and I get the privilege of working with everyone because of the way it is structured.

“We will interview everyone that the case touches so we have this extraordinary treat of working with this range of brilliant actors and quite different types of actors who are equally brilliant and unique.

“It is sad to think we will never return to this world and to these characters because I feel so fondly towards them but I will always feel proud to be associated with this show.

“There is a massive personal legacy having worked on this show.

“We all feel like we have been doing something very special and that we are all a part of each other’s lives now so I will miss seeing people every day but hopefully I will see them fairly regularly.”

His co-star Olivia Colman hopes the series will raise awareness of sexual violence and help victims realise that help and support is available.

She said: “I had done some research previously for other jobs and I feel quite passionate about Refuge, domestic violence against women and children, and Tender which is the charity that hopes to teach people when they are young how to avoid situations when they get older.

“I’m really pleased to be a part of this story and it’s amazing how people don’t know how common this is.

“We have to do whatever it takes to stop this happening.

“We need to put everything we can into teaching and helping people to repair the damage.

“People have a right to be themselves and not to feel scared.”

The first episode of Broadchurch series three will be aired on ITV at 9pm on Monday.