'The Chelsea Detective' Lands Holiday Special Ahead of Season 3

Being chosen to film a Christmas or Festive Special is a sign of having made it for U.K. network shows. It denotes a level of popularity or cultural relevance to be one of those series immortalized as part of the TV Christmas lineup for that year. Last year, it was Vera which landed a Festive Special, an honor bestowed after twelve years on the air. This year, the big newcomer looks like it will be Acorn TV's original, The Chelsea Detective.

The Chelsea Detective was not the most cozy of crime dramas when it debuted in 2022. The idea was sound: Two working-class cops assigned to solve murders in London's toniest neighborhood at a time when wealth disparity is at levels of inequality not seen since The Gilded Age. DI Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) has emotional and personal connections to this world and understands how these people work; DS Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry) is a new mother trying to move up in the force and care for her baby simultaneously and utterly unprepared for the class divide she's thrown into.

But the chemistry between Henry and Scarborough didn't work, and she left the series after one season. The show was eventually renewed with Vanessa Emme as DS Layla Walsh, a snarkier, more world partner, giving Season 2 fresh energy and a fun dynamic. This time, the renewal for a third season came quickly, with Scarborough and Emme both back. Now, that premiere episode is being aired as the show's first Festive special, arriving in mid-December. The rest of Season 3 will follow in early 2025, much like The Madame Blanc Mysteries and Call The Midwife do.

Here's the synopsis for the forthcoming Feature-Length Christmas Special, titled "Everyone Loves Chloe"

Chloe Carmichael, former popstar and one-time darling of the tabloids, is found dead in her Chelsea mansion flat in the days leading up to Christmas. They first suspect a drug overdose, but forensics soon establish that Chloe had been drowned in the bath. Max and the team must contend with a string of potential suspects, including her hard-bitten manager, a conniving journalist, and a Tory MP. Each of them has a secret connecting them to Chloe, but who was it that killed her?

And here's the third season synopsis:

The third season of The Chelsea Detective sees DI Max Arnold and DS Layla Walsh delving once more into the murky crimes of glamorous Chelsea. The team will investigate the tragic death of a 2000s pop star, the discovery of an ex-soldiers body in an allotment, the brutal murder of an antique dealer, and the mysterious case of a climate scientist found dead in a stolen car. If that wasn't enough to contend with, things at home aren't much simpler for the investigating duo either. Max tries a new approach in his personal life as he embarks on couples therapy with his estranged wife, Astrid. Meanwhile, Layla is still accustomed to living in London, while her partner, Jon, is in Exeter. They might be enjoying their independent lives now but will discover that navigating a long-distance relationship can be trickier than they first thought.

Scarborough and Emme will once again lead the core cast, which includes Peter Bankolé (Peaky Blinders) as DC Connor Pollock, Lucy Phelps (D.I. Ray) as DC Jess Lombard, and Sophie Stone (The Crown) as Dr. Ashley Wilton. Supporting cast includes Anamaria Marinca (Invasion) as Max's wife, Astrid Fischer, and Frances Barber (Whitstable Pearl) as Max's mother, Olivia Arnold.

Series creator Peter Fincham penned the series premiere; the rest of the episodes were written by Glen Laker (Vera), Debbie Oates & Ian Kershaw (Medici), and Nicola Wilson (Good Karma Hospital). Directors Jennie Darnell (Trigger Point) and Richard Signy (Death in Paradise) split helming duties on the season's four episodes. Lauriel Martin produced the series, which was executive-produced by Ella Kelly.

The Chelsea Detective Season 3 Festive Special premieres on Acorn TV on Monday, December 16, 2024. The rest of the season will follow in 2025.