Jim Howick (Ghosts), Angela Griffin (The Wives), Marcus Brigstocke (The Unbelievable Truth), Steven Hartley (Happy Valley), Elizabeth Carling (Hotel Portofino), Michael Salami (Supacell) and Dex Lee (Doctors), will all spend Christmas in the Caribbean as they star in this year’s Christmas special of Red Planet Pictures’ Death in Paradise, coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One this festive season.
They join brand new Detective Inspector Don Gilet (Sherwood, EastEnders, The Beekeeper, Shetland) in his first appearance as DI Mervin Wilson, alongside series regulars Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas, Ginny Holder as Officer Darlene Curtis, Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers and Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey in the BBC Caribbean crime drama's festive special.
The episode will also see Dwayne joined by his father, Nelson, played by Ram John Holder.
Londoner Mervin Wilson ruffles some feathers as he clashes with the island’s way of life. But he quickly sinks his teeth into one of the team's most puzzling murder cases yet: three men, all unconnected apart from the fact that they’re dressed as Santa Claus, and seemingly all shot with the exact same gun at the exact same time.
As Mervin wrangles this impossible murder, his colleagues struggle with their new boss’s unusual working methods. And Dwayne’s Christmas with his father doesn’t exactly go to plan…
Shot on the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, the Death in Paradise Christmas Special will be followed by a brand-new series in 2025, and fans can once again expect the perfect blend of exciting escapism, puzzling mysteries, and juicy plot twists set against an idyllic sun-drenched Caribbean backdrop.
Death in Paradise is the UK’s most watched returning drama so far this year across all broadcasters and streamers, with the 2024 series watched by over 8 million viewers. BBC Studios, who distribute the series, have now licensed Death in Paradise to over 230 territories across the globe.
Following the successful launch of spin-off series Beyond Paradise last year, the Death in Paradise franchise has built on its international success with new Australia-set spin-off series for the ABC in association with BBC Studios Australia Productions - Return to Paradise, launching Friday 22 November on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
Death in Paradise is a Red Planet Pictures production for the BBC made with the support of the region of Guadeloupe and internationally distributed by BBC Studios. The feature length Christmas episode and series 14 is executive produced by Tim Key and Amy Rodriguez for Red Planet Pictures and Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC, and series produced by Sue Howells.
All series of Death in Paradise are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
All Images by Lou Denim
