Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise Christmas special 2024: release date, cast, plot and everything we know

(Image credit: BBC)

The Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise Christmas special 2024 is extra exciting as it will be our first chance to see the new detective. And we now know when it will be on!

Following Ralf Little’s departure as DI Neville Parker at the end of the latest series, Don Gilet was announced as his replacement.

Don’s first case as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson will feature in the Christmas special before he’s seen in Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise season 14.

The plot sees Mervin investigate when three men, all unconnected apart from the fact that they’re dressed as Santa Claus, are seemingly all shot with the exact same gun at the exact same time.

Don explains to us: “Three victims are shot at the same time, with the same gun, in three different places. That’s irresistible to Mervin! He likes mysterious, mind-boggling things because they keep his brain active. But it’s very frustrating when he gets to a point where he doesn’t think he can crack it.”

Here’s everything we know so far…

Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise Christmas special 2024 release date

The Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise Christmas special 2024 will air on Sunday, December 22 at 8.30 pm on BBC One in a Christmas TV highlight. It will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

It will head to BritBox in the US, but we don’t have a release date yet.

Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise Christmas special 2024 plot

The feature-length case sees Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson arrive on Saint Marie and he’s not impressed! Quite why he isn’t impressed isn’t explained. Is he a Richard Poole (Ben Miller) type, who’s unimpressed by the way the team operates? Or is he a Neville type, who has lots of allergies and finds everything a bit too much? We will find out! At the moment the BBC hasn’t released many details.

Don Gilet said of joining the show: “Being offered the new lead role in Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise feels like a deeply loved and incredibly precious jewel has been placed in my hands. This is a big show, with a big heart and the love continually grows for it. It is my intention to never lose sight of that and to remain grateful, humbled and dedicated. Even during those testing times when every sinew is screaming at me to run off the set and dive into the sea, swimming pool or an ice-cold beer — whichever happens to be closer at the time!”

Teasing the plot of the Christmas special, the BBC says: “We’re back on the beautiful island of Saint Marie, and this time with a new detective inspector in tow. 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…”

Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise cast

Joining Don Gilet are regulars Don Warrington (who plays The Commissioner), Shantol Jackson (Naomi), Ginny Holder (Darlene), Élizabeth Bourgine (Catherine) and Danny John-Jules (Dwayne). But Joséphine Jobert has made it clear that she won’t be back as Florence.

The guest stars for the Christmas special are 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)

Is there a trailer?

No, not yet.

Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise Christmas special behind the scenes and more

Dᴇᴀᴛʜ 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.