Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise 2025 Christmas specials air dates confirmed by BBC

It wouldn't quite be Christmas without the slew of wonderful festive telly to sort through over the coming weeks, would it? Well, it's now been confirmed just when fans of Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise will be able to enjoy each of the show's yuletide specials.

While last month brought exciting news about the guest casts that will be in each show, we now know that Beyond Paradise will air on 21st December at 9pm, and Death in Paradise will air on 28th December at 8:30pm. So, get marking your calendars!

Beyond Paradise will transport us back to Shipton Abbott where Humphrey and the team are already having a busy season when they're confronted by a mystery man who is found holding a photo of Humphrey, with no memory.

The synopsis continues: "At the same time, with the help of Anne, Zoe and a special guest, Martha races to pull off her secret plan while Kelby tries to help a mystery man trapped inside his snowman costume.

"But with an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack, and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?"

Of course, Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton will be leading proceedings as DI Humphrey Goodman and Martha Lloyd respectively, with the rest of the returning cast including Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford, Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd, Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins, Jamie Bamber as Archie Hughes and Melina Sinadinou as Zoe Williams.

As for new faces descending on the sleepy Devon town, the guest cast for the Christmas special includes Adrian Edmondson (Alien: Earth), James Lance (Ted Lasso) and Jonny Weldon (One Day).

Just one week later, TV fans will be able to get swept up in the shores of Saint Marie for a dose of Death in Paradise, which will unfold both on the Caribbean island and also closer to home in Swindon.

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The official synopsis for the episode reads: "The office Christmas party of a lifetime takes a dark turn when four co-workers wake up to find a stranger dead in the pool of their Caribbean villa.

"DI Mervin Wilson and the team identify the murder weapon, but they’re left baffled when they find that it was locked in a drawer when the murder took place... thousands of miles away from the crime scene, in Swindon! Stuck in Saint Marie, the team calls on the help of a familiar face to crack the case.

"Meanwhile, Mervin’s anxiously waiting to hear back from his newly discovered brother, which prevents him from embracing Saint Marie's Christmas celebrations. Can Mervin resolve his family situation and get into the festive spirit – for the sake of his team and the island?"

As well as Don Gilet's DI Mervin Wilson, the cast of familiar faces includes Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas, Ginny Holder as Officer Darlene Curtis, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah as Officer Sebastian Rose and Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey.

It wouldn't be a twisted episode of Death in Paradise without their guest appearances, which have been confirmed as including Josie Lawrence (Outside Edge), Kate Ashfield (Shaun of the Dead), Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who), James Baxter (Waterloo Road), Billy Harris (Ted Lasso), Oriana Charles and Alix Serman.

Beyond Paradise will air on 21st December at 9pm and Death in Paradise will air on 28th December at 8:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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