The Good Ship Murder is back on our screens with a Christmas Special, which takes Shayne Ward's Jack Grayling, and Catherine Tyldesley's First Officer Kate Woods to Dubrovnik.

The series docked for the first time in October 2023, and introduced viewers to former police detective Jack Grayling. While he pursued his dream of becoming a cabaret singer on a luxury Mediterranean cruise ship, he also used his sleuthing skill to investigate a series of murders on board...

In series 1, Jack teamed up with the ship's First Officer Kate Woods to solve some puzzling crimes. And The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special embarks on another murder mystery... Here's everything you need to know.

Is there a The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special?

In 2024, Channel 5 offers its viewers the first ever Christmas Special of The Good Ship Murder.

The one-off special comes ahead of the recently announced series 2 and 3 of the cosy crime drama, set onboard a luxury cruise ship.

C5 explained: "The holiday season is off to a rocky start as we set sail for a thrilling festive journey where love, mystery, and music intertwine on the open ocean - The Good Ship Murder returns for a Christmas Special."

Festive episode is set in Dubrovnik

The cruise ship is docked in Dubrovnik, but the Christmas festivities don't look promising when the ship's resident Santa falls ill. Afraid of disappointing the passengers, Bev puts Jack in charge of finding a replacement Santa...

His search subsequently leads him to veteran comedian Buddy, who seems like the perfect fit. However, unexpected events complicate Jack's plan, leaving everyone scrambling to save Christmas...

Meanwhile, Jamil sees the Santa situation as his big chance. Inspired by Jack and dreaming of a life on stage, he volunteers to play an elf, diving into the role with enthusiasm and giving it his all.

Elsewhere, the connection between Jack and Kate deepens as they spend more time together. Can Jack rekindle Kate's Christmas spirit and show her the magic of the festive season?

How can I watch The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special?

Channel 5 has confirmed The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special air date.

It will go out on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 9pm on Channel 5 and My5.

Series 1 is currently available to watch on My5.

Who's in the cast?

Shayne Ward returns as crooner Jack Grayling in the cast of The Good Ship Murder on Channel 5. Of course, the actor and singer recently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing 2024. Partnered with Nancy Xu, the pair got voted out in week 8.

He's probably most famous for winning The X Factor in 2005, his subsequent chart hits, and for his portrayal of Aidan Connor in Coronation Street.

Catherine Tyldesley stars as Kate Woods. Corrie fans will know that Catherine and Shayne starred opposite each other as Aidan and Eva Price. They had a doomed relationship. Catherine has also appeared in Viewpoint, 15 Days, Scarborough, and Trollied.

Zak Douglas stars as Jamil Al-Rashid. He's perhaps next known for playing Dudley in The Larkins, Kit McKellen in Ridley, and Mo Fassi in G'wed.

Claire Sweeney returns as Beverley Carnell. Of course, Claire is also best known for her soap roles. These include Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside, and Cassie Plummer in Corrie.

Geoffrey Breton (aka The Crown's Mark Phillips) plays Piers De Vreese. Hollyoaks and Doctors actress Kiza Deen stars as Frankie Johnson. Lastly, Hijack's James Barriscale is Captain Marlowe.

Who guest stars in The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special?

Cliff Parisi stars as Buddy Elveden in the festive special of the cruise ship detective series.

Actor Cliff is best known for playing Fred Buckle in Call the Midwife, and Minty Peterson in EastEnders. He's a little soap legend, in fact.

Maltese actor Joe Depasquale plays Luka. This is arguably his biggest role to date, having previously appeared in a few short films and minor roles in films.

Russian actor Philipp Mogilnitskiy portrays Giorgio Belay, alongside Naomi Radcliffe's Karen McCallister. Naomi is best known for playing Alison Wakefield in ITV soap Coronation Street.

Foundation star Emily Stott stars as Joni McClane, and Maltese actresses Victoria Schranz and Antonella Axisa play Libby McClane and Nika Kovacic respectively.

Is there a season 2 and 3 of The Good Ship Murder?

Channel 5 has indeed confirmed a series 2 and series 3 of The Good Ship Murder after the success of the first series.

The new series, produced by Clapperboard, promise "more sun, sea, and sinister plots".

Hollyoaks actor Ross Adams will also join the cast as new character Colin Smallwood.

In the upcoming series, Jack and Kate will continue to solve murder mysteries against the backdrop of the sparkling Mediterranean.

Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor for Drama at Channel 5, said: "The blend of music, mystery, and beautiful locations was a winning formula that our viewers loved in series one, and we're excited to be working with Clapperboard again to bring this series back."

Watch The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at 9pm on Channel 5 and My5.