‘Death in Paradise’ Will Feature Shaun Dooley for Christmas 2026
'Death in Paradise' returns for a Christmas special full of A-list guest stars.
On the heels of the first images from Shipton Abbott for the Beyond Paradise yearly holiday special, the BBC has released the first photos from Saint Marie and the Death in Paradise 2026 holiday special. The two series are longtime stalwarts of the BBC One schedule, with Death in Paradise nearing twenty years on air and its first spinoff, the ultra-successful Beyond Paradise, rounding into five years and counting.
(Both are so successful, we assume the Aussie-set Return to Paradise may eventually also attempt creating a holiday-themed special, despite it being summertime down under.)
As always, the Christmas special is a time when the show can gather some serious A-list guest star talent and convince them to spend a week filming on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which continues to stand in for Saint Marie as the “Paradise” where murders happen on the regular. This year’s special is no exception, bringing a roster of talent that includes PBS favorite Shaun Dooley, whom American viewers will know from his appearances in series ranging from Broadchurch to Mr Bates vs the Post Office.
In an interesting move, the Death in Paradise 2026 Christmas Special is getting an early November release on iPlayer, the same day the Beyond Paradise 2026 Christmas Special arrives on streaming, with both confirmed to air “during the 2026 festive period” (aka, December 20 - January 2).
Here’s the holiday special’s synopsis:
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.
The Christmas special will star the current lead roster, with Don Gilet (Sherwood) as DI Mervin Wilson, Don Warrington (King Lear) as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, Élizabeth Bourgine (The Madame Blanc Mysteries) as Catherine Bordey, Shantol Jackson (Beyond Paradise) as DS Naomi Thomas, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah (Solo: A Star Wars Story) as PC Sebastian Rose, and Catherine Garton (The War Between the Land & the Sea) as Sergeant Mattie Fletcher.
(Red Planet Pictures/BBC/Cedrick Isham)
Joining them for this year’s festive mystery is a sparkling guest cast. Alongside Dooley (Criminal Record), the December special will also feature Charlie Higson (Grantchester), Caroline Catz (Doc Martin), Freddie Meredith (Such Brave Girls), Anneika Rose (Line of Duty), Ene Frost (The Winter King) and Alexandra Mardell (War).
(Red Planet Pictures/BBC/Cedrick Isham)
Death in Paradise, along with its multiple spinoffs, was created by Robert Thorogood, who handed over lead writer duties to James Hall after Season 10. Director Jamie Annett, who will helm episodes in the forthcoming Season 16, directs the standalone, with Helen Burt producing. Thorogood remains an executive producer alongside Tim Key and America Rodriguez for Red Planet Pictures and Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC.
The Death in Paradise 2026 Christmas Special will be available to stream via iPlayer starting Friday, November 27, 2026, and will air on BBC One “during the 2026 festive period.” BritBox has not yet confirmed a release date for this side of the pond. Season 16 is expected out in mid-2027. Death in Paradise Seasons 1 through 15 are also available to stream on BritBox.
Death in Paradise
All episodes of Beyond Paradise Seasons 1 through 4 and Return to Paradise Seasons 1 and 2 are also available to stream on BritBox. Beyond Paradise Season 5 and Return to Paradise Season 3 are expected to arrive on BritBox in 2027.
