The Death in Paradise Christmas special 2024 will see Don Gilet arrive in Saint Marie as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson for the first time.

The Sherwood and EastEnders actor will be replacing Ralf Little, who left the show in March 2024 after four years.

Ahead of Don's debut this festive season, here's everything we know about the upcoming Christmas 2024 special and the series beyond, including release dates, plot details, and the cast…

What is the plot of the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2024?

The upcoming Death in Paradise Christmas 2024 special will see actor Don Gilet make his debut as Mervin Wilson, Saint Marie's resident Detective Inspector.

The Christmas special in 2024, which is feature-length, will see DI Mervin arrive on the idyllic island of Saint Marie, after travelling there from his home in London.

But, while assisting with a case following a short trip, the team learn that Mervin may have an ulterior motive for being on Saint Marie...

Don will be the show's fifth leading man, following in the footsteps of Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O'Hanlon, and Ralf Little.

What has Don Gilet said about joining the show?

In a BBC press release, Don spoke of his excitement over joining the smash hit show.

Don, 57, said: "I am delighted to have returned to the wonderful island of Guadeloupe and this time to be stepping into the well-worn shoes of the Detective Inspector.

"It's been a real pleasure filming such a beloved series alongside the hardworking cast and crew. I can't wait for the fans to see how DI Mervin Wilson fares on the island, how he fits within the Saint Marie police team and what secrets may unfold."

Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama at the BBC, said: "We could not be happier to welcome Don to the series. Already known to BBC viewers from the likes of Sherwood, EastEnders, and Doctor Who, he's long been one of the UK's most exciting actors. Death in Paradise is in brilliant hands - roll on Christmas!"

Has Don Gilet been on Death in Paradise before?

Fans of the show will know that this isn't Don's first time on Death in Paradise...

The actor previously appeared on the show back in 2015 in a different role entirely. He played the role of Andre Morgan in the series 4 opener, A Stab in the Dark, which featured Kris Marshall as Humphrey Goodman.

And, yes, he was the murderer! The drama focused on the festival of Fete Mouri, in which the owner of a rum distillery held a seance to contact the spirit of a murdered servant from the 1850s. However, when a murder took place during the seance - with every one holding hands - one theory was that the killer could have been the spirit… But, nope, it was Don Gilet's character Andre!

Who is in the cast of Death in Paradise Christmas special 2024?

There may be a new leading man in charge, but there are still plenty of familiar faces in the Christmas special ahead of the new 14th series.

Don Warrington will be back as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson. Don, best known for his role in Rising Damp back in the 70s, has been a part of the series since its first series back in 2011.

Shantol Jackson will also be returning as Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas. She's been on the show since series 11 in 2022.

Also coming back is Ginny Holder, who plays Darlene Curtis. Ginny first joined the series back in series 7 in 2018, before returning on a more full-time basis in series 11.

Élizabeth Bourgine will also be back. The French actress plays Catherine Bordey, a role she has played since the first series 13 years ago.

Danny John-Jules is also returning in his role as Officer Dwayne Myers. He initially appeared in the first seven seasons, before taking a break. He returned earlier this year in series 13.

Why did Detective Inspector Neville Parker leave the island?

After five seasons at the helm, Ralf Little's character of DI Neville Parker called it a day on the island of Saint Marie.

Having finally confessed his true feelings for DS Florence Cassell, the pair decided to leave the island together.

At the end of series 13, Neville and Florence left the island to begin a new life together. Not only did this mark the end of Ralf Little's time on the show, but also actress Joséphine Jobert's.

Joséphine originally joined the show back in series 4 in 2015. She left in series 8 (2019), before coming back again in series 10 (2021). After leaving once again in the following series, Josephine made recurring appearances in the last season to facilitate Ralf's departure.

Explaining why he was leaving the show., Ralf said at the time: "If it was just a heart decision I would have wanted to do it for 20 more years.

"But just for the show and for my character Neville it just sort of felt like his story was finished and his journey deserved to be completed. He deserved a happy ending and it just felt right."

Where is the show filmed?

Series 14 of the hit crime drama, as with all the other series, was filmed on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.

Guadeloupe stands in for the fictional tropical paradise of Saint Marie, which is situated in the Eastern Caribbean Sea.

Saint Marie is a British Overseas Territory, but around 30% of its population speaks French.

The main town is called Honoré, which is in fact a reference to St Honoré, the setting of the Agatha Christie novel, A Caribbean Mystery.

What day is the Death in Paradise Christmas special?

The Death in Paradise Christmas Special will air on Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 8.30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Series 14 will follow in early 2025.

The Death in Paradise Christmas Special will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Sunday 22 December at 8.30pm.