Season 15 of Death in Paradise has already aired. It premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Friday 30 January 2026 at 9 p.m. UK time. The newer update concerns what comes next: on 30 April 2026 the BBC commissioned two further series and two Christmas specials, and the production team has promised a surprise in the Christmas special that will set up Season 16.
When Season 15 premiered and where it aired
- Premiere: Friday 30 January 2026, 9 p.m. UK time, according to the launch announcement from Red Planet Pictures, published 20 January 2026.
- Channels: BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
- Availability: the announcement says all series are available on BBC iPlayer. iPlayer is generally limited to UK viewers, and these sources do not establish how the series is available elsewhere.
The Season 15 cast
The biggest change in the cast is the arrival of Catherine Garton as Sergeant Mattie Fletcher. The rest of the core team returns, as the table below shows.
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| 1 |
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| Character | Actor | Status for Season 15 |
|---|---|---|
| DI Mervin Wilson | Don Gilet | Returning |
| Selwyn Patterson | Don Warrington | Returning |
| Naomi Thomas | Shantol Jackson | Returning |
| Sebastian Rose | Shaquille Ali-Yebuah | Returning |
| Catherine Bordey | Élizabeth Bourgine | Returning |
| Sergeant Mattie Fletcher | Catherine Garton | New to the series |
The launch announcement also named guest actors Siobhan Finneran, Hermione Norris, Steffan Rhodri, Ben Willbond and Sarah Hadland, among others. Daniel Ward plays Solomon, Mervin’s newly discovered half-brother.
Season 15 story threads
Mervin and Solomon
Mervin begins trying to build a relationship with Solomon, the half-brother he has only recently discovered. The announcement presents this as one of the season’s personal storylines for the lead character, rather than a case-of-the-week subplot.
#1 Best Overall
- Documentary Feature Film providing an in-depth look at the music, politics, activism, and bold life of music icon, Nina Simone.
- Only film to feature over 50 of Nina's friends, family, band members, lovers and fellow musicians, giving viewers a deeper, stronger understanding of Nina and her artistic intentions.
- Features her involvement with key friends and figures: Martin Luther King, Jr., Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Langston Hughes, Miriam Makeba
- Nina Simone's story from birth in the segregated American South to her death in the South of France
- The stories behind Nina Simone's most iconic songs: Mississippi Goddam, Four Women, Young, Gifted and Black, Why? The King of Love is Dead, Strange Fruit, Sinnerman, Porgy, Ne Me Qutite Pas, Wild is the Wind, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.
Selwyn and the island’s trust
Selwyn returns after an absence and has to win back the trust of the island. The season sets this up as a slow repair job rather than a quick return to form.
Mattie’s past
Mattie’s history starts to surface as Naomi and Sebastian help her settle into the team. The announcement frames her arrival around her integration with the existing officers, with her backstory emerging as the season progresses.
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Setting and production
The series is set on the fictional island of Saint Marie, and Guadeloupe is the filming location. Red Planet Pictures makes the show for the BBC with support from the region of Guadeloupe, and BBC Studios handles international distribution.
Red Planet Pictures also says the series has been licensed in more than 230 territories. The figure comes from the 20 January 2026 announcement, which attributes international sales to BBC Studios. The company does not give a breakdown by territory.
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The April 2026 recommission
On 30 April 2026 Red Planet Pictures announced that the BBC had commissioned two more series and two Christmas specials. The announcement named Don Gilet, Don Warrington, Shantol Jackson, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah, Catherine Garton and Élizabeth Bourgine as returning for the new series.
Tim Key, Executive Producer at Red Planet Pictures, said: “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. 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…”
Rank #4
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: “Death in Paradise is a global phenomenon and we are incredibly proud to have it on the BBC, where it goes from strength to strength. It’s with great pleasure that we share the news that we’ll be returning to Saint Marie for two more sun-soaked series and Christmas specials.”
Two details are still missing. The announcement gives no date for the new series, and it does not reveal what the Christmas-special surprise is.
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Best Value
- Winner! Best Documentary, 2010 GI Film Festival
- "You Will Be Riveted" - NY Times
- "Superb" - LA Weekly
- "Deeply Moving" - Frmr Secretery of State Colin Powell
- "Profound" - Time Out NY
Viewing figures: what is and is not confirmed
The launch announcement says more than 7.5 million viewers watched the previous year’s series. Red Planet Pictures is the only source for that number, and it does not explain how the audience was measured. It should not be read as a Season 15 figure.
Neither the BBC nor an independent measurer has released a viewing figure specific to Season 15 that this article can verify. Any Season 15 average, episode rating or ranking you see quoted should be checked against a named source.
Watching the series outside the UK
The announcements confirm UK availability on BBC iPlayer and the BBC One broadcast. They do not confirm which streaming services or broadcasters carry the series in other countries, so check your local listings before assuming access.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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