Broadchurch's US remake changes ending (spoilers)

The US remake of Broadchurch, Gracepoint, changes the ending to the UK original.

* This story contains spoilers. Do not read if you have not seen and intend to watch Broadchurch or the US remake, Gracepoint.

Olivia Colman's performance broke our hearts in the dramatic Broadchurch finale, but writers have given a different ending to US remake Gracepoint.

Colman, who played DS Ellie Miller in the hit UK crime drama, was devastated to learn that her husband Joe killed 11-year-old Danny Latimer in Broadchurch.

But in Gracepoint, while Joe (Josh Hamilton) is still outed as a paedophile, it emerges that the couple's son Tom (Jack Irvine) is the real culprit after accidentally hitting Danny with an oar.

The story goes like this: Tom follows his father to one of his "secret meetings" with Danny, only to see him chase his friend after his sexual advances are spurned.

Tom throws an oar in between his father and Danny but it all goes very wrong and Danny is killed on impact. Joe is arrested and Ellie (Anna Gunn) makes him promise to serve a murder sentence in order to protect Tom.

Tom is blameless in Broadchurch with Joe (Matthew Gravelle) strangling Danny after growing concerned that their inappropriate relationships would be exposed.

Kevin Reilly, chairman of entertainment at Fox, told viewers in January to expect a "different" climax in Gracepoint.

"We're doing 10 episodes, they did eight," he said. "We have a different ending so there will be something to stay tuned for."

The Gracepoint finale aired in the US on December 11. There will not be a second season after ratings averaged at a disappointing 3.5 million viewers per episode.

Meanwhile season two of Broadchurch returns to UK screens in early January and will likely focus on the suspicious abduction of two local girls.

Creator Chris Chibnall is keeping the plot tightly under wraps, with David Tennant set to return as DI Alec Hardy alongside Coleman.

- Independent