BROADCHURCH viewers were left sobbing tonight as Mark Latimer appeared to commit suicide.
The character has been with the show since series one, and fans were left heart-broken when he seemingly drowned himself at the end of the episode.
Tonight’s show ended with a dark scene in which Mark plunged into the sea and was seen disappearing under the water.
Fans flocked to Twitter to express their grief over the apparent suicide of one of the main castmembers.
Mark (played by Andrew Buchan) was one of the main characters in season one, which kept viewers guessing over the murder of his son Danny.
Most read in TV & showbiz
He has struggled to cope with the loss of his little boy throughout the last two seasons, and his misery was compounded in tonight’s show when his estranged wife Beth announced plans to file for divorce.
Mark also tracked down his son’s killer, Joe Miller, and attempted to record him making a confession after he was found not guilty in the sensational season two trial.
Joe realised what he was up to, and finally gave him the confession after the recording was stopped.
The failure of his plan appeared to tip Mark over the edge, and he later set sail on his boat, seemingly never to return.
The ending came as a brutal shock for viewers, who revealed they were left in floods of tears.
One wrote: “Trish’s story may be what’s driving series 3 but Danny’s story is where the heart is at I’m in tears at tonight’s episode #Broadchurch…
“Correction, I am sobbing #Broadchurch.”
Another added: “#broadchurch mark cant die :(.”
A third wrote: “So did Mark just kill himself?? That’s a thing right
That just happened??? #Broadchurch.”
Many were too stunned to write messages and simply posted crying emojis online.
The murder of Danny Latimer was the main focus of the first season, with series two focusing on the trial of the killer.
The third instalment has been about the hunt for a rapist who attacked Trish, and tonight the suspicion appeared to focus on her boss Ed, played by Lenny Henry.
Ed was taken in for questioning by Detectives Hardy (David Tennant) and Miller (Olivia Colman) in tonight’s episode and many viewers were furious to see the TV veteran in handcuffs.
They flocked to Twitter to express their outrage, insisting his character must be innocent.
One wrote: “Sir Lenny wouldn’t do a thing like that!! and another added: “They can’t make Lenny Henry the Rapist!!”
A third wrote: “If they make Lenny Henry a rapist then I’m gonna be so p**sed at [write Chris] Chibnall istg #broadchurch.”
Many pointed out that being arrested so early in the investigation is a clear sign that he is a red herring.
One wrote: “If he’s been arrested this early, it pretty much means he’s not the guy that did it! #Broadchurch
#broadchurch.”
Another added: “Lenny Henry didn’t do it #broadchurch.”