Death in Paradise unwraps a killer Christmas mystery as Charlie Higson and Shaun Dooley lead an all-star guest cast

Sunshine, secrets and a killer Christmas: Death in Paradise returns to BBC iPlayer and BBC One this festive season with a brand-new feature-length special and a fiendishly compelling Caribbean mystery.

The Christmas special will be available on BBC iPlayer from Friday 27 November, with the episode airing on BBC One over the festive season.

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As Christmas approaches on Saint Marie, celebrations take a deadly turn. DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) is back on the case, alongside Don Warrington (Commissioner Selwyn Patterson), Shantol Jackson (DS Naomi Thomas), Shaquille Ali-Yebuah (Officer Sebastian Rose), Catherine Garton (Sergeant Mattie Fletcher) and Élizabeth Bourgine (Catherine Bordey).

Joining them for this year’s festive mystery is a sparkling guest cast; Charlie Higson (The Fast Show), Caroline Catz (Doc Martin), Freddie Meredith (Such Brave Girls), Shaun Dooley (Misfits), Anneika Rose (Line of Duty), Ene Frost (The Winter King) and Alexandra Mardell (Coronation Street).

When the patriarch of one of Britain’s most famous families is murdered on their private Saint Marie island, the Pendleford dynasty is thrust firmly into the spotlight – and under suspicion. The police team must pick through a combustible mix of family tensions, bitter rivalries and carefully buried secrets - and everyone has something to hide. As festive cheer curdles into suspicion and Seb and Mattie follow a crucial lead, a shocking connection to the past emerges. Can Mervin and the team unmask the killer before they strike again?

The Pendleford investigation also threatens the team’s festive plans; Naomi finds herself torn between duty and family, while Selwyn is forced to revisit a case from his past with devastating consequences. Catherine’s Christmas also takes an unexpected turn when a chance encounter brings someone new into her life.

Filmed on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, Death in Paradise is consistently one of the UK’s most watched television shows and is enjoyed in 230 territories worldwide. For 15 years, its winning combination of sun-soaked escapism, ingenious mysteries and much-loved characters has captivated millions, earning consistent acclaim for its distinctive blend of humour, warmth and irresistible detective storytelling.

The show’s enduring success has also inspired the hit spin-offs Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise, extending the much-loved franchise and attracting millions of viewers in the UK and around the world.

Death in Paradise is produced by Red Planet Pictures (a Fremantle company) for the BBC, with the support of the region of Guadeloupe; BBC Studios handles global sales. The Christmas special is executive produced by Tim Key and America Rodriguez for Red Planet Pictures and Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC. Helen Burt is producer and Jamie Annett is director.

SJP / dip@premiercomms.com

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