Johnny Vegas, known for playing Geoff Maltby in ITV's Benidorm, will appear in a guest role in the upcoming Beyond Paradise Christmas special. The episode will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from Friday, November 27, before it broadcasts on BBC One during the Christmas period.
Vegas Joins Festive Guest Cast
Vegas played Geoff Maltby, a character who holidayed at the Solana resort alongside his mother, Noreen, played by Elsie Kelly. Geoff appeared in a total of 33 episodes and was part of the original core cast from series one to three before being written out of the show in 2010.
The actor's new role has been revealed 16 years after his Benidorm exit. Other guest stars in the special include Paul Chowdhry, Martin Trenaman, Syreeta Kumar, and Sam Hunter.
Returning Regulars and Festive Mystery
They will appear alongside returning regulars Kris Marshall (DI Humphrey Goodman), Sally Bretton (Martha Lloyd), Zahra Ahmadi (DS Esther Williams), Dylan Llewellyn (PC Kelby Hartford), Barbara Flynn (Anne Lloyd), Felicity Montagu (Margo Martins), and Jamie Bamber (Archie Hughes). The instalment will see locals unravelling both their Christmas decorations and a perplexing seasonal mystery.
The synopsis teases: "As Humphrey investigates the wildly different details of each buglary, all the evidence points to a Santa who is decidedly more naughty than nice. But when the man in red wakes up in hospital, can Humphrey get the answers he needs before Christmas arrives?"
Plot Details and Fan Reaction
A young girl's Christmas looks set to become magical when she gazes through the window and sees Father Christmas perched on the rooftop. However, it quickly transforms into a nightmare before Christmas for Whitfield Estate inhabitants, who awaken to find a man in a Santa costume has fallen from the roof. A series of burglaries have also occurred, with all the video footage and witness accounts pointing to the man.
Meanwhile, Martha confronts a mysterious stranger after finding herself at the end of several unrecognised phone calls and sensing she's being followed. Elsewhere, Esther puts Archie to the test when she insists that a couple's first Christmas together can make or break them, and Kelby finds himself caught between two warring neighbours, each accusing the other of sabotage in their fierce competition to have the most extravagant Christmas lights display.
Fans have been quick to share their excitement following the announcement. "Yay looking forward to this," one person wrote on Instagram. Another added: "MY COMFORT SHOW IS BACKKK." A third said: "SO EXCITED!!" Someone else commented: "Lovely series, especially with Kris Marshall." A fifth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: "Oh goodness can't wait!!"
