Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025: Air date and guest cast confirmed as Mervin connects with his secret brother Solomon
The Saint Marie cop learned of his sibling last series
Don Gilet returns for the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025, as his Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson connects with his newly discovered brother.
The former EastEnders actor made his debut on Saint Marie in last year’s Christmas special. He replaced Ralf Little, who played DI Neville Parker for four years.
Mervin spent most of Death in Paradise series 14 upsetting his colleagues and trying to head home to his beloved London.
But the character developed a lot during the course of the series. He became more likeable and we started to see a vulnerable side to Mervin.
Christmas will be a busy time for fans of Death in Paradise as the BBC has also lined up a Beyond Paradise Christmas special.
Here’s everything we know about the Death in Paradise Christmas special.
What is the plot of the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 on BBC One?
The BBC has now revealed the case that Mervin will tackle in the festive episode, and it sounds like a huge twist surrounding the murder weapon will keep us guessing.
The official synopsis from the BBC says: “An 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.”
Will Mervin meet his brother in the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025?
Yes, another key plot point in the Christmas episode is Mervin’s long-lost brother.
In the Death in Paradise series 14 finale, Mervin spoke to his late mum’s old neighbour in Antigua. She told him that a man named Solomon Clarke was looking for his mum a few months ago. Solomon was an ex-pupil of his mother.
Later in the episode, Selwyn dropped the bombshell on Mervin that he’s spoken to Solomon. And that Solomon is Mervin’s brother!
The BBC says: “Mervin’s anxiously waiting to hear back from his newly discovered brother. This 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?”
It will also be interesting to see how much Selwyn will feature in the Christmas special. After being removed as The Commissioner, he was offered his old job back. However, he turned it down. Selwyn has been on the show since series 1, so we hope he will still be a big part of the show.
How can I watch it? When’s it on?
The Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 will air on BBC One on Sunday, December 28. It will also be made available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
You can also watch past series and seasonal specials on BBC iPlayer.
Who is in the cast of the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025?
Don Gilet is back as DI Mervin Wilson, along with Shantol Jackson as Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas.
Also returning are French star Elizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey. Plus, Ginny Holder as Officer Darlene Curtis and Shaquille Ali-Yebuah as the newly promoted Officer Seb Rose.
It’s not clear yet if Don Warrington will return as Selwyn.
Will any old favourites appear in the special?
While there’s no official word, we certainly hope so. Danny John-Jules was in last year’s special as Officer Dwayne Myers. It would be great to see Dwayne again.
The official synopsis for the episode says the Saint Marie team call on the help of a ‘familiar face’ to crack the case. However, the BBC will keep the identity of the mystery person tightly under wraps.
Who are Death in Paradise Christmas 2025 guest stars?
Guest stars for the festive episode are Outside Edge actress and comedian Josie Lawrence, who plays a character called Marjorie Dodds. Shaun of the Dead and Lazarus star Kate Ashfield will play Helen Dugdale.
Tom Jones and Doctor Who favourite Pearl Mackie is also heading to Saint Marie as Karen Hickson.
Also joining the cast are Waterloo Road and Alma’s Not Normal star James Baxter, who plays a character called Gavin Bradbury.
Ted Lasso’s Billy Harris has joined the Christmas cast as Neil Dugdale, while Black Venus actor Alix Serman plays a mysterious character called Darrian.
We will also see Ren actress Oriana Charles in the cast, however, her character is unknown for now.
Where is the show filmed?
The Death in Paradise Christmas special was filmed on Guadeloupe, which doubles as the fictional island of Saint Marie. Guadeloupe is an overseas region of France. Catherine’s Bar, where the team will no doubt toast Christmas, is a real place. The bar is called Le Madras.
However, The Inspector’s Shack isn’t real. Instead, the shack is unpacked before the start of each series and put up on a beautiful stretch of sand called La Perle Beach. Meanwhile, Honoré police station isn’t an actual police station, but the building is real. It’s the Presbytery attached to the local church.
Read more: BBC Christmas 2025 TV Preview
