A soap icon known for Coronation Street and a comedian join the cast as guest stars in the latest instalment of the Channel 5 drama
Denise Welch guest stars as Ziggy in Benidorm is Murder(Image: Channel 5)
Benidorm is Murder is Channel 5‘s brand new detective drama.
Described as a “cosy crime” thriller, the murder mystery series comes from Death in Paradise writer Ian Jarvis and started last week on the channel.
The series has a star-studded cast list, including John Hannah, who plays burned-out ex-police officer Dennis, and newcomer Carolina Bécquer, you can find out more about the rising star here, who takes on the role of his unlikely sidekick Rosa.
Other permanent players include Ariadna Cabrol who stars as DS María Hernandez, Brian Bovell who plays Archie, Damian Schedler Cruz who takes on the role of PC Jesús Ballesteros, and Eva van der Gucht in the role of Jackie. You can see the cast list and where you recognise them from in full here.
But Benidorm is Murder also has an incredible roster of guest actors, two of whom will join for the second episode. Channel 5 has confirmed Coronation Steet star turned Loose Women Denise Welch will play Ziggy, the owner of Benidorm Palace, while comedian and actor Alistair McGowan will step into the shoes of faded 90s game-show star Vince Starky.
Denise Welch plays Ziggy
Denise plays Ziggy, owner of Benidorm Palace.
Writer and creator Ian Jarvis said of Denise in the role of Ziggy: “Denise Welch is amazing. We felt like we had TV royalty when we got Denise. She is brilliant in the role. She didn’t need much steering about this character. Ziggy is this low-rent showbiz queen, an agent in the stand-up comedy world. Denise is also just loads of fun to be around. She loves a chat. We spent a lot of time chatting about everything.”
Denise is best known for playing Natalie Barnes in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, in which she appeared in over 400 episodes.
She also starred as Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road, and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks. Viewers might also recognise Denise from Spender, Soldier Soldier and Down to Earth. She is also a regular panellist on the ITV chat show Loose Women.
Alistair McGowan plays Vince Starky
Alistair McGowan plays faded 90s game-show star Vince Starky. His character appears in the Laughter Lounge alongside his younger wife, Vienna.
Alistair is a comic, actor, pianist, poet, and writer. He provided voices for eight series of Spitting Image and earned a BAFTA for his BBC One television series The Big Impression, with Ronni Ancona.
He is also known for All Quiet on the Preston Front and has been a regular on Radio 4 dramas and comedies, including Elvenquest and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane Austen? He took the lead role in BBC One’s detective series Mayo, and has appeared in many stage roles over the years.
What is Die Laughing about?
A synopsis for the instalment reads: “At the Laughter Lounge, veteran comic Frank Mann is emceeing when his old friend, faded 90s game show star Vince Starky, blows in with younger wife Vienna. Vince’s comeback dates are tanking and owner Ziggy, drowning in debt, needs them to work…
“But the next morning, doorman Paco finds a dead body on the club roof. Maria begrudgingly asks Dennis to look at the scene, where he notes the head wound, scuff marks round the access door and, below, a fire extinguisher buried in a car windscreen.“As Rosa helps retrace the movements of everyone connected to the club, old grudges, financial pressures and buried secrets come bubbling to the surface. Has the killer been hiding in plain sight all along? And can Dennis convince Maria to reopen a case she’s so eager to keep closed?”
Benidorm is Murder continues on Thursday at 9pm on Channel 5.