Who is Paul Coates in Broadchurch?

Paul Coates (The vicar with a congregation of three and a grief of hundreds) is a character in Broadchurch, part of The Town. Reverend Paul Coates preaches to empty pews until the murder fills them — a town with no use for God suddenly needing somewhere to put its candles. Recovering alcoholic, insomniac, half in love with the woman whose son the case took, Paul navigates the vicar's impossible brief: comfort the Latimers, visit the accused, and absorb Hardy's contempt for anyone offering answers the evidence can't. The show's running question about faith — useful or true? — wears his collar.

When does Paul Coates first appear?

Paul Coates first appears in Season 1, Episode 1 of Broadchurch (2013–2017, ITV).

Which group does Paul Coates belong to?

By the time Paul Coates appears, The Town also includes Joe Miller, Tom Miller, Susan Wright, Maggie Radcliffe.

Who else is introduced in this episode?

• Alec Hardy — The worst cop in Britain, per the tabloids — with a pacemaker
• Ellie Miller — The local detective the case turns inside out
• Beth Latimer — The mother the town watches grieve
• Mark Latimer — The father with the unaccounted hours
• Joe Miller — The husband at the kitchen table
• Tom Miller — Danny's best friend, deleting his messages
• Susan Wright — The woman in the caravan the town wants gone
• Maggie Radcliffe — The local editor holding the line

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