Death in Paradise season 14

Death in Paradise is back with some fresh faces on the island of Saint Marie.

Sun, sea and murder are still the order of the day but there is a new officer leading the hunt for whodunnit.

Don Gilet arrived on the island for the Christmas special as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson searching for his estranged mother and now he can’t seem to leave.

He replaces Ralf Little, who starred as Detective Inspector Neville Parker for the five previous series.

Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) must deal with momentous news from the chief commissioner in Jamaica, which rocks the police department on the island.

And Catherine (Elizabeth Bourgine), as mayor, becomes the last line of defence in a battle to save the team.

Here’s what we know about the new series.

When is Death in Paradise season 14 on TV?

Death in Paradise returns to BBC One on Friday 31 January at 9pm.

There are eight episodes in the new series as DI Mervin Wilson gets to grips with crime on the island.

Each episodes will be aired on Friday nights at the same time of 9pm, concluding on Friday 7 March.

The show can also be streamed on the BBC iPlayer.

Who is in the Death in Paradise season 14 cast?

Don Gilet

Don Gilet takes over as the lead inspector for the island’s police, playing DI Mervin Wilson.

Speaking about his new character, he said: “He’s quite vocal about coming into a place where he’s battling with a temperature that he’s not used to.

“He didn’t realise how much he took for granted in London until he went somewhere that works at a different pace.

“He’s not a well-travelled guy.

“He’s a British guy, a Londoner – he loves his fish and chips and home comforts.”

Gilet, 55, will be well-known to television audiences as Lucas Johnson in EastEnders and Jesse Law in Holby City.

This is not his first foray into policing on TV as he was previously DS Nicky Cole in 55 Degrees North.

Don Warrington

Don Warrington MBE stars as police commissioner Selwyn Patterson, who has been in the series since the start.

Talking about the arrival of a new detective inspector to the island, Warrington said his character is “cagey and he’s watchful to see how he does”.

He added: “He’s not looking at traits but he’s looking at who Mervin really is.”

The Trinidadian actor, 73, rose to fame as Philip Smith in the 1970s sitcom Rising Damp.

He played Nigel Beaumont in C.A.T.S Eyes, Mr Phillps in children’s show Grange Hill and Bailey in the BBC sitcom The Crouches.

Shantol Jackson

Shantol Jackson appears in the show as Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas.

She said: “The fact I’m able to speak in my own dialect and I’m a part of drama set in the Caribbean, that’s what brings me back.

“I’m adding value to something that means so much to me.

“I love Guadeloupe, the island and the people.”

The Jamaican actress played Yvonne in the 2018 film Yardie and Kerry Hall in Sprinter, which came out the same year.

Ginny Holder

Ginny Holder plays Officer Darlene Curtis in the show.

Discussing her character, she said: “Darlene loves her job, and she’s become quite obsessed with the crime board this series.

“She likes to have things done in a certain way and loves going into detail with the case and the investigation.

“Her desk is always full and she’s always busy doing things.”

Holder is best known for playing Thandie Abebe-Griffin in the BBC medical drama series Holby City.

She has also appeared as Rosa Marshall in Family Affairs and DS Nadia Latif in The Capture.

The cast for series 14 also includes:

• Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey (Maigret, Beyond Paradise, The Madame Blanc Mysteries)
• Tobi Bakare as Officer JP Hooper (Outlander, The Tunnel)
• Anthony J Abraham as Officer Benjamin Brice (The Acolyte, Bad Education)
• Michelle Greenidge as Paulette Brice (Kaos, Doctor Who, Queenie, Mandy)
• Mark Holden as Damon Clarke (His Dark Materials, A Discovery of Witches)
• Stephen Odubola as Karlus Brice (Boiling Point, Gassed Up)
• Adam James as Rick Mayhew (The Day of the Jackal, Hotel Portofino)
• David Avery as Dale Buckingham (Gangs of London, Domina, We Are Lady Parts)
• Sofia Oxenham as Lisa Bulmer (Extraordinary, Poldark, A Very Royal Scandal)

Where was Death in Paradise season 14 filmed?

Death in Paradise is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie but is actually filmed on the islands of Guadeloupe.

Located in the Lesser Antilles, between Dominica and Antigua, the French archipelago of Guadeloupe is composed of five islands: Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, and La Desirade.

Deshaies, on the island of Basse-Terre, provides the setting for the fictional town of Honoré.

And the beaches nearby are the perfect backdrop for the show, including the Grande Anse beach.

The police station is actually the priest’s office and church hall in Deshaies.

And the outside terrace of a restaurant called Le Madras is used for Catherine’s Bar.