The Beyond Paradise Christmas Special sees DI Humphrey Goodman investigate an elderly man with dementia holding his photograph
Megan Nisbet Content Editor
15:47, 17 Dec 2025
Morning Live: Kris Marshall teases series four of Beyond Paradise
The Beyond Paradise Christmas Special airs this weekend, bringing viewers back to Shipton Abbot for a festive instalment packed with surprise visitors, seasonal mysteries to solve, and an emotional reunion.
The yuletide episode sees Kris Marshall return as DI Humphrey Goodman, who faces an intensely personal investigation when an elderly gentleman suffering from dementia appears on his doorstep clutching nothing but a photograph of him.
Speaking about the festive instalment, Kris revealed: “It’s such a personal story for Humphrey. A man turns up on his doorstep with a picture and we’re not sure why, but it soon becomes a deeply touching story. I find it becomes especially personal because of the eventual reason as to why he has Humphrey’s photograph – it’s a very Christmassy story that warms the cockles.”
Beyond Paradise Christmas 2025(Image: BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Joss Barratt)
Sally Bretton joins Kris in the special, playing Martha Lloyd, whilst Zahra Ahmadi is back as DS Esther Williams and Dylan Llewellyn reprises his role as PC Kelby Hartford. Felicity Montagu, Barbara Flynn, Melina Sinadinou, and Jamie Bamber also feature, alongside several guest stars.
When questioned about what constitutes the ideal Christmas special, Kris explained: “What’s brilliant about Christmas for shows is that it’s like all the best episodes are rolled into one. The writers, the producers, the actors, and the stories are all going for gold. They’re often also standalone stories, nicely wrapped up in a heartwarming bow designed to make everyone watching feel good.”
“It’s just what you want at Christmas when you’re stuffed. The Christmas special is a wonderful tradition. I think it’s unique to the UK as well; I normally spend my Christmas in France, and they don’t have anything like that there or elsewhere in Europe. It’s uniquely British thing and I think that’s lovely.” But when can viewers expect the Beyond Paradise Christmas Special? Here’s what we know.
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special air date
Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman(Image: BBC)
The Beyond Paradise Christmas Special will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, December 21. Fans can settle in for the festive episode at 9pm for the hour-long offering.
The companion series Death in Paradise will follow a week afterwards on Sunday, December 28, reports Wales Online.
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special cast
There’s a mystery guest making an appearance in the upcoming Christmas special
(Image: BBC)
Kris Marshall, familiar to audiences from My Family and Love Actually, reprises his role as DI Humphrey Goodman, with Sally Bretton returning as Martha Lloyd. Sally is well-known for her portrayal of Lucy Adams in the enduring sitcom Not Going Out.
The returning cast also includes Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford, Felicity Montagu as Office Support Margo Martins, and Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd. Melina Sinadinou and Jamie Bamber are back as well.
Special guest appearances in the Christmas episode feature Holby City’s Adrian Edmondson, Ted Lasso star James Lance, One Day actor Jonny Weldon, and Vivien Keene.
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special storyline
The festive episode will air on December 21(Image: BBC)
The episode synopsis reveals: “When Esther discovers a man on the steps of the Shipton Abbott police station with no memory, holding a photo of Humphrey, the team gets to work to uncover who the mysterious man is while balancing a flurry of festive cases in the Beyond Paradise Christmas Special.”
It continues: “At the same time, with the help of Anne, Zoe and a special guest, Martha races to pull off her secret plan while Kelby tries to help a mystery man trapped inside his snowman costume. But with an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack, and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?”.