Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1 guest cast includes comedy legends from Gavin & Stacey and Miranda
Some top names are off to Saint MarieDeath in Paradise series 15 episode 1 features the kind of brilliant guest cast fans have come to expect from the hugely-loved crime show as it returns for a new series.
It was revealed in the Death in Paradise Christmas special that Selwyn was returning to Saint Marie to take his old job back as The Commissioner.
But in the opening story of Death in Paradise series 15, Selwyn’s comeback is disrupted by a suspicious death at Government House. A man falls from the roof and it looks like a suicide. However, DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) suspects murder. Of course he does!
But no one was on the roof when the victim fell. Plus, the roof door was locked. So, if it was murder how did the killer do it?
In this episode, Mervin also gets the chance finally to meet his half-brother Solomon. But will they get on? After all Mervin’s not the easiest chap.
As ever, the new series of Death in Paradise will have lots of great guest stars turning up in the Caribbean. But which one of them is the killer? Here’s everything you need to know about the guest cast tonight…
Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1 guest cast: Steffan Rhodri as George McCann
Steffan plays cigar-smoking villain George McCann. He’s clearly a baddie, but Mervin and the team have to work out if he’s a killer.
So, George is working in Government House as Saint Marie’s Head of Tourism and Business. And Selwyn is enraged to find George is using his office. The cheek!
George has a close team with him and is up to some shady deals. He was obviously a big fish in London because on his wall he has magazine front covers of himself. But Selwyn is desperate to get George out of his office and out of Saint Marie.
What else has Steffan Rhodri been in?
Steffan’s most famous role is easily as Dave Coaches in Gavin & Stacey. Amazingly, Steffan was only meant to be in the very first episode of the smash hit comedy. It was such a tiny part, Steffan recalled his agent questioned whether he should even accept the role.
“Because Dave only appeared in a couple of scenes in one episode of series 1, I had to convince my agent that it was worth doing what she considered a small part.
“I sensed it was a hit and had no doubt about doing it. I teased my agent for many years about it afterwards.”
Steffan played Dave – a man who loved driving coaches, and Nessa (Ruth Jones) – in 12 episodes, including the last ever episode of Gavin & Stacey.
Death in Paradise isn’t Steffan’s first cosy crime drama. He played DCI Barry Clarke in Timothy Spall’s Death Valley.
The versatile star showed his more serious side in BBC dramas The Way and Steeltown Murders. Other credits include House of the Dragon, Temple and Das Boot.
Sarah Hadland as Deborah Shelman
Sarah’s character is very shifty! She plays Deborah, who works at Government House. Deborah fixes problems for George. She is his Operations Manager.
Deborah is clearly very well paid for what she does. But Deborah tells Mervin she’s not paid enough to murder someone.
Is she telling the truth? Or could she be the killer Mervin is after?
What else has Sarah Hadland been in?
Yes, Sarah Hadland is the second comedy legend guesting in Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1. Sarah is best known for playing Stevie opposite Miranda Hart in the beloved comedy Miranda. Stevie was famously forever doing impressions of Heather Small.
Did you know that Sarah Hadland was in a James Bond movie? So, she had a small part in 2008’s Quantum of Solace where she played an airline check-in assistant. Sarah’s character gave Daniel Craig’s 007 an admiring glance as she agreed to lie for him about his flight.
Sarah is also a regular character in the Aimee Lou and David Morrissey comedy Daddy Issues.
Sarah’s also been in Murder, They Hope and Midsomer Murders. Plus, she took part in the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing. She made the final with dance partner Vito Coppola, but they lost out to winners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell.
Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1 cast: Will Close as Kevin Felton
Kevin is a tech consultant working in Government House as part of George McCann’s team. Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1 opens with Kevin looking distraught. He’s clearly very upset.
Kevin heads to the roof of Government House. Selwyn arrives and breaks the door down to the roof. There’s no sign of Kevin. But when he looks below he sees his body on a car below!
Selwyn believes it could be suicide. But Mervin discovers Kevin had just booked a flight. Why would someone book a flight just before taking their own life? It’s murder!
What else has Will Close been in?
Will Close’s most famous role has been on the stage rather than TV. He starred as England football captain Harry Kane in Dear England, which is now being turned into a BBC series. Will won a coveted best supporting actor Olivier Award for his performance in 2024.
On TV, Will enjoyed a supporting role as Bill Harding in the Channel 5 police crime drama series Dalgliesh, which starred Bertie Carvel.
Seemingly like every actor in Britain, Will has also had a guest part in an episode of Midsomer Murders! He played a character called Lucas Shaw in a 2025 episode called Lawn of the Dead.
Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1 cast: Maxine Finch as Rosalie Dolor
Rosalie also works at Government House. She arranges for a car to collect Selwyn from Saint Marie airport when he returns from England.
But she frantically calls him to tell him that Kevin is on the roof. When Selwyn arrives she’s distraught. She is keen to help him out.
However, is Rosalie telling the whole truth? Is she keeping something from Mervin?
What else has Maxine Finch been in?
Maxine Finch is quite the soap actress! She has been in Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Casualty, Doctors and Hollyoaks.
In Coronation Street, she has enjoyed four roles. She helped Audrey Roberts as a doctor, was a witness support officer during Peter Barlow’s trial, was the coroner at Aidan Connor’s death, and also popped up as a judge.
Outside of soaps, Maxine’s biggest role was playing Meg Dawson in The Bay. Plus, her credits include Vera, Trying and Moving On.
Louis Davison as Leo Quinn
Leo is an intern at Government House. He is sent to pick up Selwyn from the airport. On the surface he seems warm and caring. Plus, he tells Selwyn how much he’s loving the job.
However, Mervin gets hold of some video footage which shows him arguing with the victim shortly before his death.
Did Leo push Kevin off the building?
What else has Louis Davison been in?
Louis is famously the son of Doctor Who star Peter Davison. He became a star in his own right when he played Prince Edmund in the Netflix series Vikings: Valhalla. Louis featured in six episodes of the historical drama which was a sequel to Vikings.
He also featured in six episode of the Aidan Turner hit drama Poldark as Geoffrey Charles. Plus, Louis played troubled teen Parker Whitfield in Holby City.
Moreover, Louis has had roles in Find Me in Paris and The Reluctant Landlord.
Death in Paradise series 15 episode 1 cast in full
Don Gilet returns as DI Mervin Wilson
Don Warrington is back as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson
Shantol Jackson plays DS Naomi Thomas
Shaquille Ali-Yebuah stars as Officer Sebastian Rose
Catherine Garton joins as Sergeant Mattie Fletcher
Elizabeth Bourgine returns as Catherine Bordey
Steffan Rhodri guests as George McCann
Will Close portrays Kevin Felton
Maxine Finch appears as Rosalie Dolor
Sarah Hadland guest stars as Deborah Shelman
Louis Davison plays Leo Quinn
Daniel Ward joins as Solomon Clarke
Death in Paradise new series guest stars coming up
Two of the biggest names guesting are Happy Valley’s Siobhan Finneran and Cold Feet’s Hermione Norris.
Ben Willbond follows in the footsteps of his Ghosts co-star Jim Howick in heading to Saint Marie. Also guesting is Tim McMullan, best known for starring in Magpie Murders.
Plus, also going to the Caribbean is Gary Wilmot, who shot to fame on New Faces in the 1970s. The other guest stars are Julian Rhind-Tutt (Green Wing), Ace Bhatti (Malpractice) and Scarlett Alice Johnson (EastEnders).
Also, Sean Delaney (Killing Eve), Lizzie Davidson (Such Brave Girls), Kojo Kamara (The Outlaws) and Layo-Christina Akinlude (The Stolen Girl). Finally, Sandra James-Young (Wild Cherry), Phoebe Sparrow (Downton Abbey), Antonia Bernath (Downton Abbey) and Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge (Rematch).
Read more: Everything we know about Grantchester series 10
