Death in Paradise star gives season 16 update – says season 15 "might be one of the best"
"I'm not being biased..."
Death in Paradise first premiered in 2011, but the BBC murder mystery is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Speaking recently at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah confirmed that filming on season 16 is set to begin at the end of April.
"Everything commences again," said the Sebastian Rose star. "Back out to Guadeloupe, hurry up and get our tan back. I'm looking like Bart Simpson right now. It's going to be exciting."
Turning back to season 15, he said: "I'm really excited for everyone to see this new season," promising a "new energy", a "new dynamic to the cast", and an “amazing "guest cast".
"I'm not being biased, but it might be one of the best seasons yet," he added.
The latest instalment sees the team once again faced with a string of perplexing cases as Selwyn settles back into the role of commissioner – and attempts to "win back the trust of the island", who felt betrayed when he initially decided to leave.
Elsewhere, Mervin is dismayed to learn that his half-brother Solomon isn't the man he hoped he would be – and will surely have to spend much of the next episode tracking down his belongings after Solomon cleared out his beach hut.
"They couldn't be more opposite," Gilet told the BBC. "There’s Mervin and then there’s this guy who is on the opposite side of the tracks, potentially the opposite side of the law too... "
Plus, Naomi and Seb are busy helping their new team member Sergeant Mattie Fletcher – who comes with her own "baggage" – settle into the team.
"She has something to prove to herself and to others and sometimes she can do that to her detriment, but it comes from a place of passion," Catherine Garton said of her character. "They will see ups, downs and lots of sass!"
The character joined as a replacement for Ginny Holder's Darlene Curtis, news which initially came as a "surprise" to Ali-Yebuah.
Read more:
- Death in Paradise cast: Who stars in season 15 of the BBC murder mystery?
- Death in Paradise's Don Warrington says fans should "assume nothing" about Selwyn's future following turbulent developments
"We miss her," he said of Holder's absence. "I actually did my first audition with her, and that was my partner in crime in my first season. She's going to be missed."
Warrington, who's known Holder "for years", went on to say that it was "sad, it's always sad when you lose somebody".
"But these things happen. It's the nature of the business."
Holder described playing Darlene as "an absolute gift" in an Instagram post, adding: "Saying goodbye has been far more emotional than I ever expected…"
Death in Paradise season 15 airs on Fridays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
