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Death in Paradise returns for a festive special episode tonight, with a guest cast set to join DI Mervin Wilson

Death in Paradise is gearing up for another festive special episode, ahead of welcoming a fresh series in 2026. The BBC programme has proved a massive success since it first hit our screens in 2011, with Ben Miller originally taking the lead detective role.

Don Gilet has stepped into Death in Paradise as the newest lead detective, DI Mervin Wilson, making his debut in the 2024 Christmas Special before headlining the complete Series 14 in early 2025, replacing Ralf Little.

Discussing his return to the role of Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, Don Gilet shared with the BBC: “It felt good. Slightly daunting, but in a positive sense because you want to do the same again, if not better.

“I jokingly describe it as the second album. The first album went really well, but you can’t rest on your laurels and be complacent, there’s still more audience out there to win over. So, I went out to Guadeloupe with a renewed appetite. It was great to come back and reconnect with the characters and the actors,” reports the Express.

The BBC has now revealed what audiences can anticipate from the Christmas special, scheduled to broadcast tonight (December 28) on BBC One, featuring a new guest lineup appearing in this year’s standalone episode.

Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 cast

• DI Mervin Wilson- Don Gilet
• Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas- Shantol Jackson
• Officer Sebastian Rose- Shaquille Ali-Yebuah
• Catherine Bordey- Elizabeth Bourgine
• Officer Darlene Curtis- Ginny Holder

Guest cast

• Josie Lawrence (Outside Edge)
• Kate Ashfield (Shaun of the Dead)
• Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who)
• James Baxter (Waterloo Road
• Billy Harris (Ted Lasso)
• Oriana Charles
• Alix Serman

Death in Paradise Christmas special 2025 plot

The BBC has revealed a thrilling plot for the upcoming Christmas special of Death in Paradise. The office Christmas do takes a sinister twist when four colleagues wake up with pounding heads, only to find an unknown man shot dead in their villa’s pool.

DI Mervin Wilson and his squad manage to locate the murder weapon, but they’re left scratching their heads when they realise it was locked away in a drawer at the time of the shooting… and that drawer was thousands of miles from the crime scene, all the way back in Swindon. All the suspects insist they’ve never crossed paths with the deceased before.

As the team delves deeper into a tangled web of secrets and criminal activity, it becomes apparent they’ll need all the assistance they can muster to crack this perplexing case. Maybe a familiar face spending the festive season back in the UK could be persuaded to chip in.

Meanwhile, the Yuletide celebrations on Saint Marie are in full swing. The annual nativity is underway, and Mervin has a role to fill. But the DI has other matters preoccupying him.

A few months ago, he reached out to a brother he’d only recently discovered, but he’s yet to hear back. Can Mervin sort out his family issues and embrace the holiday cheer for the sake of his team and the island?

The Death in Paradise Christmas special airs Sunday, December 28 at 8:30pm on BBC One

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The former This Morning guest shared how Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan treated her off-camera, following a “disastrous” moment on the show

A former This Morning guest has revealed how her appearance on the show ended in disaster. Hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan at the time, podcast host Louise Boyce said she was invited onto the show as a teenager for a live haircut, though was mortified by the outcome.

Joined by Richard and Judy’s daughter Chloe Madeley on her podcast, she told her: “Your mum and dad, it [This Morning] was the first TV show that I went on when I was 15. And, I really want to find the footage, it must be in the archives somewhere, but I went on there to have my haircut, a live haircut.

“I was 15 years old, I was still at school and very aware of how I looked and the haircut was disastrous.”

Recalling her immediate reaction, she said she instantly knew it was “horrendous” but politely told the hairdresser she “really liked it” with a shaky voice.

“But, your mum and dad were so kind to me because they must’ve seen or felt that I was just like, ‘I hate what you’ve just [done to me’]’,” she continued on the No Parental Guidance podcast.

“‘You have just violated my hair live on TV, my first ever TV [experience]’. And they were so, your mum and dad, even off-camera they were like, ‘Hair grows, it’s okay’.”

In response, Chloe gushed: “I can’t say it enough how kind he is and how fair of a man he is and how unbelievably good his values and [morals] are. I get really angry when people go for him because I’m like, ‘You don’t know how good this person is’.”

The fitness guru continued by revealing she’d also picked up valuable lessons from her mum, especially regarding being “a calm” and “well adjusted” parent.

Richard and Judy presented the ITV programme from 1998 to 2001. When previously asked about their decision to leave the show, they said it felt like the right moment to move on and explore new ventures.

The duo went on to front their own programme, Richard and Judy, which was broadcast during early evening slots on Channel 4.

Richard remains a familiar presence on ITV as a presenter on Good Morning Britain, while Judy has stepped away from the public eye.

The former broadcaster was most recently spotted on television during their daughter’s ITV documentary, Chloe Madeley: A Family Affair.

However, after running for just one series, it didn’t return following Chloe’s split from rugby player James Haskell.

The pair, who are parents to two-year-old daughter Bodhi, announced their separation in 2023 after five years of marriage.

During her recent podcast chat, Chloe revealed that the former couple are still navigating a “stressful” divorce.

Providing an insight into her love life situation, she said she’s content with being single after having a disliking her experience on dating apps.

The UK banking group has shared advice for people who connect to wi-fi during hotel stays

NatWest has urged customers staying in hotels to always check the guest book before connecting to wi-fi. With the festive season in full swing, many Brits will be on the move, whether they’re travelling home to visit family, attending Christmas parties, or travelling abroad for a seasonal holiday. For those staying in hotels or similar accommodation, it’s essential to be vigilant, as criminals may target hotel guests when plotting scams.

According to advice shared on NatWest’s website: “Scammers sometimes set up fake hotel networks with names that are very similar to the genuine one.” As such, it’s important to ‘make sure the network name is the one printed in official hotel guest books’, says the bank.

NatWest also advises customers against entering any personal information when connected to open Wi-Fi networks. “When using open Wi-Fi networks, stick to messaging and browsing, and avoid entering any personal information.”

“These networks are usually open, which means anyone can log on or that many people have the password. This makes it easier for fraudsters to see any details you enter on the same network,” the bank explains.

Cybersecurity company Norton has similarly highlighted the risks associated with hotel wi-fi. Advice on the brand’s website states: “Malicious hotspots, or rogue access points, are deceptive networks that trick users into connecting by mimicking legitimate Wi-Fi names.

“For instance, if you were staying at the Goodnight Inn and wanted to connect to the hotel’s Wi-Fi, you might mistakenly select ‘GoodNight Inn’ (with a capital N) instead of the correct network. By doing so, you risk connecting to an ‘evil twin’ network set up by cybercriminals to access your internet traffic.”

According to Norton, public Wi-Fi hotspots could also pose a risk, especially if criminals target unencrypted networks to gain access to sensitive banking information. “Many public Wi-Fi hotspots are unencrypted networks that transmit data in plain text, making it vulnerable to cybercriminals with the right tools. Hackers on the same network can intercept your online activities, including banking information, login credentials, and personal messages.”

While criminals might try to take advantage of people using their wi-fi, it’s just one of several tactics that scammers might employ. For holidaymakers spending their Christmas in another country, NatWest also offers advice on staying safe while exchanging money and dining out at restaurants.

The banking group advises customers to always pay in local currency where possible and to be mindful of potential restaurant scams, which could result in people being overcharged for food or charged for food that seemed complimentary.

NatWest suggests checking reviews ahead of time before choosing a restaurant, checking prices when placing an order, only eating and drinking what was ordered, and requesting an itemised receipt. The bank also recommended looking out for any additional charges, such as water charges or cover charges.