Death in Paradise series 15: Why isn't episode 6 on tonight and when is it next on?
It's another unwelcome disruption to the schedules
Death in Paradise fans have every reason to feel mightily miffed tonight as the detective drama will not air on Friday as usual – so why isn’t it on, and when can you watch the missing episode?
BBC One has yet again made the unpopular decision to pull the detective drama from the schedules this week, depriving its loyal viewers of their weekly visit to Saint Marie.
And it’s not the first time during series 15. Just a few weeks ago, DI Mervin Wilson vanished from our screens. But it didn’t need a detective to work out why… Viewers expecting Death in Paradise tuned into Match of the Day Live: The FA Cup. Great if you love football. Not so great if you don’t.
So why isn’t Death in Paradise series 15 on tonight? And when can fans expect to see the next episode? Here’s everything you need to know.
Why isn’t Death in Paradise on tonight?
Fans of Death in Paradise will know the detective drama always airs on a Friday night. In fact, the 9pm visits to the gorgeous destination of Saint Marie are what millions of people look forward to all week during the depressing grey months of January and February.
However, BBC One will NOT be airing episode 6 of series 15 this week. So why isn’t Death in Paradise on tonight? It’s bad news for devotees of the crime drama who will have to find something else to watch instead. Unless you like football, that is.
Instead of Death in Paradise tonight, the Beeb will be showing Match of the Day Live: The FA Cup (again). This week, Wolverhampton Wanderers play against Liverpool.
A synopsis for the match tells us: “All the action from the fifth-round tie at Molineux. Wolves have defeated two lower-league teams in Shrewsbury Town and Grimsby Town to reach this stage. They now face a sterner test against the Reds, who they also met in the Premier League three days ago. Liverpool have comfortably overcome Barnsley and Brighton & Hove Albion so far and are among the favourites to win the trophy they last lifted in 2022.”
The match airs on Friday, March 06, 2026 from 7:45pm to 10:10pm. Kick off is at 8pm.
When is the next episode?
Instead of the usual Friday episode, fans will have to wait until next week to get their fix of Death in Paradise. Monday, March 09, 2026 to be exact. Episode 6 will air at 9pm on that Monday – filling the hole left by Silent Witness. Of course, fans of the forensic drama will know that Silent Witness series 29 ended the week before. And it’ll be a year before we see Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson again.
However, episode 6 WILL be on BBC iPlayer on Friday from 8.45pm. The Been told us: “About next week’s episode: you’ll be able to watch episode 6 on BBC iPlayer from Friday. But the BBC One broadcast has moved to Monday 9th March. Which does mean you get another double-Paradise week, on the bright side!”
As well as the Monday night episode, fans will get their usual Friday night episode as well. So there is a silver lining here. There will be TWO episodes of Death in Paradise next week, on Monday, March 09, and on Friday, March 13, 2026. Not so unlucky for fans…
What happens in series 15 episode 6?
In episode 6, we see Mervin taking some time off to visit his brother Solomon in Antigua. In the previous episode, the detective had been upset about his brother’s decision to sell their mother’s house – possessions and all.
So he decided to take a short break from work to track down his little bro, and tell him how he felt. However, a teaser at the end of episode 5 showed Mervin tied to a chair seemingly held hostage.
In episode 6, Merv stumbles across a crime scene when he goes in search of his brother Solomon in Antigua. In a remote cabin, a local businessman has been shot… But Solomon and his associate Cheech both swear the other is responsible. And they’re not letting Mervin go until each one has convinced him of their account.
Julian Rhind-Tutt guest stars as Solomon’s associate Cheech McCarthy.
Fans demand to know why Death in Paradise isn’t on tonight!
Understandably, fans were pretty miffed about sport interfering with Death in Paradise.
One spoke for many when they said: “They should stick the football on iPlayer.”
Another seethed: “That’s just plain rude.”
And a third added: “Bleddy football ruining my Friday evenings!”
“BBC One scheduling be damned,” said another.
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