Death in Paradise’s new detective, Mervin Wilson, has addressed the return of a fan favourite, who made a surprise return in the Christmas special
17:20, 02 Jan 2026Updated 17:23, 02 Jan 2026
Death in Paradise’s latest detective, Mervin Wilson (portrayed by Don Gilet), has spoken out following confirmation that the Commissioner (Don Warrington) would be making his return to the BBC series.
At the conclusion of series 14, Selwyn Patterson chose to depart Saint Marie after being stripped of his Commissioner position on the island. Yet, despite being presented with the opportunity to reclaim his role, Selwyn opted to decline the offer and leave the island regardless.
Viewers were devastated by Selwyn’s exit and assumed he had departed permanently; nevertheless, in a surprising twist, the Commissioner made appearances in both the “Death in Paradise” and “Beyond Paradise” Christmas specials.
The BBC has subsequently announced that the cherished character will return to Saint Marie for series 15. The programme’s principal detective has now offered an insight through his recent social media update.
Accompanied by an image featuring the Commissioner and Detective Mervin Wilson, Don penned, “Thank you for the kind words regarding #DeathInParadise Xmas Spesh. See you in 2026 for more drama from Saint Marie,” reports the Express.
Death in Paradise cast(Image: BBC)
Supporters flocked to the comments section to express their reactions, with numerous fans delighted about Selwyn’s comeback.
One commented, “Was so looking forward to this and it did not disappoint. Delivered on so many levels. Glad Commissioner Patterson is considering redoing his old job role, and Mervin spoke to his brother. Roll on the new series.”
Another remarked, “I thought we’d lost you. So glad we haven’t.”
A third fan chimed in, “So happy to see you back! You can never leave the show! A Duck just won’t do for me!”
Detective Wilson and the Commissioner(Image: BBC)
Another echoed the sentiment, “So happy to see you back! You can never leave the show! A Duck just won’t do for me!”
In a recent Instagram post, Death in Paradise teased Selwyn’s return. Alongside footage of the Commissioner, the show posted: “So that’s something to look forward to in the new year!”
“Chief Commissioner, it is Selwyn Patterson,” the Commissioner announced in the Beyond Paradise Christmas special. “Apologies for calling you during the holidays. But I wanted to know if you’ve found my replacement yet.
“I see…I have been doing some thinking, and I wondered if there was any chance of my returning to the role if it’s still vacant.”
Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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