Lindsay Salt Drives Death In Paradise to Two More Seasons
death in paradise is heading back to Saint Marie for two more seasons, with filming already under way in Guadeloupe this week. The ’s recommission keeps the series on air through at least season 17 and adds two more Christmas specials in 2026 and 2027.
Lindsay Salt on Saint Marie
Lindsay Salt, director of drama, said the broadcaster will be returning to Saint Marie for "two more sun-soaked series and Christmas specials." She also described the show as "a global phenomenon" and said it "goes from strength to strength." For viewers, the practical takeaway is simple: the current run is not a handoff to a replacement, but an extension of the same franchise footprint.
Don Gilet will return as DI Mervin Wilson, alongside Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah as Officer Sebastian Rose, Catherine Garton as Sergeant Mattie Fletcher and Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey. That cast list signals continuity rather than a reset, which usually gives a returning series a cleaner launch into a new block of episodes.
Guadeloupe filming begins
Filming on the new episodes began in Guadeloupe this week, putting the next stretch of production in motion before the broadcaster’s latest recommission had even finished settling in. Tim Key said the team had "something very special lined up to kick off its 16th season," and added that there will be "a big surprise" in the Christmas special. That tells audiences the franchise is being built with a bridge between seasons, not treated as a standalone annual event.
Tim Key also said, "The response to our latest series has been wonderful and we can't wait to get started again - we've got something very special lined up to kick off our 16th season, with a big surprise setting it up in our Christmas special. Watch this space..." He added, "We remain incredibly proud of the show and the team that makes it, and delighted that the audience continue to love it as much as we do."
Season 17 and the Christmas run
The new order pushes Death in Paradise through at least season 17, while also extending its Christmas special run into 2026 and 2027. In business terms, that is a long runway for a series built around recurring holiday slots and a stable core cast, which is exactly the kind of pattern broadcasters tend to protect when the audience keeps showing up.
The timing also puts the show in the middle of a wider franchise picture: the final episode of Beyond Paradise is set to air this week, while Return to Paradise has been renewed for a third season. For viewers, the message is that the wider world around Death in Paradise is still active, but the flagship title remains the anchor.
