'Death in Paradise' Season 14 Sets Mid-February Premiere for BritBox

It's the depths of winter across the Northern Hemisphere, with cold and snow blanketing most of the U.S. and the U.K. What better way to keep warm than to snuggle up on the couch with your favorite people (and/or animals) and spend an hour a week someplace filled with sunshine, warmth, and murder? There's a reason the BBC series Death in Paradise was an immediate hit in the dreary grey suburbs of Britain. The beautiful scenery, the sandy beaches, the sparkly ocean, and the blood-red murders are designed to keep viewers warm and cozy with crime — and Season 14 promises to continue the tradition, now with a new lead detective.

One of the delights of Death in Paradise has been the lead detectives, none of whom seem to like living in a summer world where it's beautiful 24-7. None of the actors who play them are all that into the commute, which is why the show is now on its fifth lead actor in less than fifteen years. (The show's island of St. Marie is played by the French archipelago of Guadeloupe in the Lesser Antilles, southwest of Puerto Rico and just north of Venezuela, which is a bit of a hike from London.)

However, up until now, when the show has switched out leads, it's always been partway through the season, as if the series has been worried that introducing a new lead between seasons would lose viewers. Season 14 finally broke that rule, with the show's latest star, Don Gilet (Sherwood), arriving as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson in the 2024 Christmas special and will take charge of the island's latest investigations starting with the season premiere. For fans who can't wait to see the series finally introduce a new detective properly at the top of the season, the show's return is one of the most highly anticipated debuts of 2025 on both the BBC and BritBox.

Here is the new season's synopsis:

We're transported back to the tropical island of Saint Marie, and this time with a new Detective Inspector in place - but will DI Mervin Wilson remain in the job for long? Following the recently cracked case of ‘Who shot the Santas?’, along with the revelation that his estranged mother has passed away, Mervin is ready to get back home and leave the island for good. But when a case close to the hearts of those at the station presents itself, is he tempted to extend his stay? As Mervin continues to ruffle feathers, the police team pulls together to solve some of the island’s most confounding cases yet.

Don Gilet will star alongside returning series regulars Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas, Ginny Holder as Officer Darlene Curtis, Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey, Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers, and Tobi Bakare as Sergeant JP Hooper.

As always, Death in Paradise is a guest star extravaganza. Season 14 will include appearances by PBS favorites Charlotte Spencer (Sanditon), Adam James (Hotel Portofino), Joy Richardson (The Long Song), Bhavna Limbachia (Ridley), Siobhan Redmond (Unforgotten), Rita Bernard-Shaw (Van der Valk), Chantelle Alle (Marriage), Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge (Guilt), and Madeline Appiah (Partners in Crime). 

The guest roster also features Tala Gouveia (McDonald & Dodds), Michelle Greenidge (It's a Sin), Stephen Odubola (Boiling Point), Anthony J. Abraham (Bad Education), Simon Lennon (Bridgerton), David Avery (We Are Lady Parts), Sofia Oxenham (A Very Royal Scandal), Patricia Allison (Sex Education), Imogen King (Suspect), David Mumeni (Big Mood), Bobby Gordon (Three Little Birds), Tony Marshall (Ashes to Ashes), Gerard Horan (Belfast), Judith Jacob (Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale), Lily Nichol (Renegade Nell), and Lyndsey Marshal (Inside Man).

Death in Paradise Season 14 premieres on the BBC in the U.K. on Friday, January 31, 2025, and on BritBox in the U.S. on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. The series will air and stream weekly on both platforms.