DI Mervin Wilson will be back in Death in Paradise as Don Gilet returns to his role in the hit BBC series. The actor made his debut as DI Mervin Wilson in the 2024 Christmas special, taking over as the top cop on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie following the departure of DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little).
Mervin originally travelled to Saint Marie to track down his estranged mother, Dorna, but soon discovered she had been murdered, shortly before locating his long-lost brother, Solomon (Daniel Ward).
Festive Special on BBC iPlayer
Mervin will be back on screens at the end of the month in a very special Christmas episode. The brand-new feature-length special, which revolves around a gripping Caribbean mystery, will be available on BBC iPlayer from Friday, November 27, before the episode broadcasts on the BBC during the festive period.
As Christmas draws near on Saint Marie, festivities take a sinister turn. DI Mervin will be back investigating 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).
Guest Cast and Plot
They will be accompanied by a star-studded guest cast. The line-up features The Fast Show's Charlie Higson, Doc Martin's Caroline Catz, Such Brave Girls star Freddie Meredith, Misfits actor Shaun Dooley, Line of Duty's Anneika Rose, The Winter King's Ene Frost, and Coronation Street's Alexandra Mardell.
"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," reads the official synopsis for the episode.
"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 synopsis adds: "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."
Beyond Paradise Returns
The programme's hit spin-off, Beyond Paradise, will also make its return this month with its own festive special. DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) and the Shipton Abbott team are back to crack another perplexing seasonal mystery. The episode features guest appearances from Johnny Vegas, Paul Chowdhry, Martin Trenaman, Syreeta Kumar, and Sam Hunter.
Death in Paradise is shot on location in Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean island, and has remained amongst Britain's most-watched television programmes. For 15 years, the series has enchanted millions of viewers, receiving praise for its unique combination of comedy, heart and compelling detective narratives.
The show last graced our screens back in March, when the series 15 finale broadcast on BBC One. That episode followed DI Mervin and his team as they investigated a peculiar death at sea, which had the hallmarks of a mythical Caribbean sea creature. Mervin was also caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of a young girl named Eloise Clarke (Avah Cotterell), who claimed to be his niece.
Death in Paradise's Christmas special will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from Friday, November 27.
