Why Did Laura Fraser Leave ‘Patience’? Her Replacement Explained

Viewers quickly fell in love with the mentor-mentee dynamic between Patience Evans (Ella Maisy Purvis) and Detective Inspector Bea Metcalf (Laura Fraser) in Patience Season 1. But there will be a huge shift when Patience Season 2 airs on PBS: Fraser has exited the series.

Fraser’s departure was previously announced when Patience Season 2 went into production. Taking her place in the second season is Jessica Hynes, who plays a new character, DI Frankie Monroe.

Patience has already been renewed for Season 3 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, and Hynes is confirmed to return as Monroe. Here’s everything we know about why Fraser left Patience after one season.

Why did Laura Fraser leave Patience?

Patience is an adaptation of the popular French series Astrid. It stars Purvis as Patience Evans, a woman in her early 20s with autism who works in the York Criminal Records Office. Her life gets turned upside-down by an unexpected partnership with DI Bea Metcalf, who notices her keen eye for detail. Patience’s ability to notice patterns in even the trickiest of cases is a credit to her neurodivergent brain.

While her neurodivergence is a strength in this regard — it even helps Bea understand her own child better — it does still plague Patience with social difficulties. There are people at her office who think Patience is more of a suspect than a help in these high-profile cases, causing her stress and unease. But as time goes on, Patience and Bea’s relationship strengthens and improves both of their lives for the better.

Fraser has not publicly commented on her departure from the series, but her casting in a British series called Mint was announced around the same time as Season 2 went into production in May 2025. Her departure could have been due to scheduling conflicts.

What Is PBS' 'Patience' Based on?

Purvis said that Bea’s absence lingers throughout Season 2.

“It’s not [just] the first episode, then it’s done,” Purvis told Radio Times. “A big part of Patience’s journey in the season is getting over that – and also, realising and reminding herself of what that experience had taught her.”

“Her relationship with Bea is very much crucial in her finding strength and the chutzpah to carry on doing what she knows she does best [despite Frankie’s opposition],” she continued.

“We end the [first] series with Patience discovering a string of numbers that her mother left her on a prized himitsu baku box,” Purvis said, per The Mirror, “a puzzle she’s been trying to solve throughout the series. Patience has been ruminating and obsessing over these numbers for several weeks as she continues her work with York Police.”

“DI Metcalf, to her knowledge, is on leave, which allows Patience to strengthen her relationship with Jake, in particular, but also Will and Baxter,” she continued. “But with the news Bea isn’t coming back, Patience clings to the mystery of her mother, her world in quiet turmoil and her confidence knocked.”

Who is DI Frankie Monroe in Patience Season 2?

Hynes’s Frankie is coming in hot in Season 2, but Patience will advocate for herself in the face of the big change.

“Patience is fuelled by routine and structure. In [Season 1] she pushes herself out of her comfort zone with Bea and is luckily nurtured by her fascination with Patience’s way of viewing the world,” Purvis shared.

“Frankie bursts in and ironically has no Patience for her,” she continued. “She is harsh and somewhat brutal towards Patience, who is, in comparison, gentle, but interestingly, as much as it affronts her, Patience doesn’t take no for an answer and pushes back with her findings on the first case. This defiance earns her respect from Frankie, who slowly realises Patience isn’t one to be brushed aside.”

When does Patience Season 2 come out in the U.S.?

Patience Season 2 came out on January 7 on Channel 4 in the U.K. A U.S. premiere date will be announced at a later time, but fans can expect it in 2026.

Patience Season 2 will be longer, with eight episodes instead of six. Channel 4’s description for Season 2 says, “Patience will continue her work in the police criminal records department of City of York Police after establishing herself as an invaluable member of the team, bringing her unique insight into a series of perplexing cases. However, when a new boss, Detective Frankie Monroe, brings a very different management style, it proves tricky for them both to navigate. Love is also in the air in this series as Patience begins a relationship with a work colleague, Elliot, and the police department gets a makeover with the arrival of a new PR consultant, all whilst tackling intriguing crimes in extraordinary settings such as York Minster.”

Patience, Season 2 Premiere, TBA, PBS

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