Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025: Guest cast includes Line of Duty and Doctor Who favourites
It's more murder and mayhem than merry and bright in Saint Marie this Christmas...
Death in Paradise is taking us back to Saint Marie this Christmas for a special festive episode, and there are some very familiar faces joining the guest cast.
Fans of Death in Paradise know that the show is renowned for its guest stars, with some of the UK’s biggest talent appearing in the series over the years. This Christmas is no different. Pearl Mackie, Kate Ashfield and Josie Lawrence are just some of the stars joining Don Gilet as he returns as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson.
The former EastEnders actor made his debut on Saint Marie in last year’s Christmas special. Now he is back to tackle a new case, which features a huge twist surrounding the murder weapon.
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.”
But who’s who in this tangled festive plot? Here is everything you need to know about the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 guest cast…
Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 guest cast
Guest stars for the festive episode are Outside Edge actress and comedian Josie Lawrence and Shaun of the Dead and Lazarus star Kate Ashfield. Tom Jones and Doctor Who favourite Pearl Mackie is also heading to Saint Marie.
Also joining the cast are Waterloo Road and Alma’s Not Normal star James Baxter and Ted Lasso’s Billy Harris.
We will also see Ren actress Oriana Charles and Black Venus actor Alix Serman in the episode.
Josie Lawrence as Marjorie Dodds
Josie plays a character called Marjorie Dodds. Marjorie’s role in the murder mystery is being kept under wraps, but she is likely to be based in the UK rather than sunny Saint Marie.
The BBC synopsis reveals a twist in this year’s Christmas special when investigators find the murder weapon in Swindon.
But how was something that was used to commit a crime in the Caribbean locked away in a drawer thousands of miles away?
What else has Josie Lawrence been in?
Actress and comedian Josie is best known for her roles as Maggie Costello in the cricketing drama Outside Edge (1994 – 1996), and Manda Best, an old flame of Minty Peterson (played by Call the Midwife and The Good Ship Murder star Cliff Parisi) in EastEnders between 2009 and 2010.
Other roles include The Complete Guide to Parenting, BBC One’s Robin Hood, Skins, Casualty, Doctors, The Old Curiosity Shop and Humans. In 2019, she played Agnes Nutter in the Amazon Prime series, Good Omens.
During her long comedy career, Staffordshire-born Josie has been a regular on Channel 4’s improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway.
Josie has also enjoyed huge success on the stage. She has appeared in everything from Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe to The Taming of the Shew in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
In 2005, she appeared alongside Victoria Wood, Julie Walters, and Celebrity Traitors star Celia Imrie in the West End production of Acorn Antiques: The Musical.
Kate Ashfield as Helen Dugdale
Kate Ashfield plays Helen Dugdale. Helen is likely one of the co-workers who finds the mysterious dead body in their Caribbean villa pool.
Helen might have a connection to the deceased. But how did the office Christmas party go so wrong?
What else has Kate Ashfield been in?
Birmingham-born Kate starred in long-running BBC crime drama Line of Duty, which is set for a comeback in 2026. Kate played Jools Tate in the first series, the wife of corrupt DCI Anthony Gates.
Her other TV roles include Shaun of the Dead, Lazarus, This Little Life, Secrets & Lies and ITV period drama, Sanditon, where she played Mary Parker. She is also the co-writer of the 2017 TV series Born to Kill on Channel 4.
Kate also played Jody in the film Late Night Shopping in 2004. She won the Best Actress award at the British Independent Film Awards that same year.
Pearl Mackie as Karen Hickson
Pearl Mackie is also heading to Saint Marie as Karen Hickson.
Karen will likely be one of the co-workers staying at the Saint Marie villa when someone discovers a corpse in the pool. But how will she react when her sun-drenched Christmas turns into a living nightmare?
Where you have seen Pearl Mackie before
Pearl gained recognition for her role as Bill Potts in series 10 of Doctor Who. Bill was a companion for the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi.
The London-born star first found fame in 2014 when she joined the cast of BBC One’s daytime medical drama, Doctors, as Anne-Marie Frasier.
Since then, Pearl has appeared in various stage productions, including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and The Birthday Party, a Harold Pinter production also starring Stephen Mangan, Toby Jones and Zoe Wanamaker.
Pearl has also starred as Lucy in the hit comedy Friday Night Dinner, as Alysse in the US TV show The Diplomat and as Honour Newton in the 2023 period drama, Tom Jones.
Death in Paradise Christmas guest cast: James Baxter as Gavin Bradbury
James Baxter, who plays a character called Gavin Bradbury.
Gavin is likely to be another of the holiday makers who have come to Saint Marie dreaming of a sunny Christmas. Instead he finds himself caught up in a grisly murder.
What else has James Baxter been in?
Sunderland-born James has played deputy head teacher Joe Casey in Waterloo Road since 2023.
He has also starred in Emmerdale as Jake Donald, Anthony in Alma’s Not Normal, Jesus in Red Dwarf and Leroy in BBC One drama Still Open All Hours.
James is engaged to former Emmerdale star Chelsea Halfpenny, who was the original actor to play Amy Wyatt in the soap. The couple share a daughter.
Billy Harris plays Neil Dugdale
Billy Harris has joined the Christmas cast as Neil Dugdale.
As Helen and Neil share a surname, it is likely the pair are related. However, the BBC is yet to announce how. Neil is likely to be another holidaymaker whose office Christmas party takes a grim turn.
Where have you seen Billy Harris before?
Billy is known for his role as Welsh winger Colin Hughes in the Apple TV+ show, Ted Lasso. He has played Colin since the show first aired in 2020.
He has received praise for the role, especially after the revelation that his character was gay.
Essex-born Billy also starred in BBC One series The Outlaws in 2022.
Oriana Charles guests as Ashley Simms
Again, we don’t have any details about guest character Ashley as the BBC is keeping episode details under wraps, but judging by the blue sky in the promo picture it’s safe to say that actress Oriana filmed her scenes around the setting of the murder.
Where you might have seen Oriana Charles before
Oriana is a relative newcomer, although is gaining recognition for her lead role in the fantasy web series Ren: The Girl with the Mark. The British actress took over the role for season 2, replacing Sophie Skelton from the first run, after she joined the cast of Outlander.
Oriana also appeared in the dark UKTV 2021 crime drama Ragdoll, which is also available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Death in Paradise Christmas guest cast: Alix Serman stars as Darrian
Alix Serman plays a mysterious character called Darrian. The BBC is remaining quiet about who Darrian is. Could he be connected to DI Mervin’s long-lost brother? Or is he simply one of the holidaymakers caught up in the tragic pool murder?
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, former Commissioner 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?”
Perhaps Darrian is going to fill in some blanks for Mervin?
What else has Alix Serman done before?
Alix gained recognition for his role as Matthew in Black Venus in 2010.
Since then, he has starred in short movies Ivany in 2021, and Assoiffes and A Piece of Blue Sky over my Head in 2024.
The Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 cast
Don Gilet is back as DI Mervin Wilson
Shantol Jackson returns as Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas
Elizabeth Bourgine plays Catherine Bordey
Ginny Holder appears as Officer Darlene Curtis
Shaquille Ali-Yebuah is Officer Sebastian Rose
Josie Lawrence plays Marjorie Dodds
Kate Ashfield stars as Helen Dugdale
Pearl Mackie is Karen Hickson
James Baxter portrays Gavin Bradbury
Billy Harris plays Neil Dugdale
Alix Serman is Darrain
Read More: BBC Christmas 2025 TV Preview
