BBC delays next episode of hit series Death in Paradise

Fans will have to wait a bit longer to catch up with the residents of Saint Marie

BBC viewers tuning in to watch the next episode of Death in Paradise will be left rather disappointed.

The cosy detective series, now on its 15th season, returned last month, and viewers are now waiting for the fourth instalment.

However, the episode has been moved from its usual timeslot of 9pm on Friday due to the FA Cup, which will see Hull City play Chelsea.

Instead, Death in Paradise will return to screens on Monday (16 February).

Death in Paradise stars Don Gilet as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, the fifth lead the show has had since it premiered in 2011. The previous main stars were Ben Miller, Ardal O’Hanlon, Kris Marshall and Ralf Little.

Earlier this week, cast member Don Warrington, who plays Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, addressed his return to the show after seemingly leaving last season.

His exit from the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie caused a backlash among viewers, with many wondering whether the decision was reversed to appease fans.

However, Warrington, 74, said this is not the case, telling The i: “That was just the storyline, nothing more.

“The producers thought it would be interesting to have Selwyn reach some kind of crisis, and then, after dealing with it, return. There was no Machiavellian intent.”

Warrington was happy to learn how much viewers love his role in the show, though, adding: “It was certainly very nice to know that my character had penetrated into people’s consciousness to that extent, and that they liked him.”

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He added: “It is rather nice to be liked.”

The latest series of Death in Paradise sees DI Wilson continue adjusting to life in Saint Marie, while also attempting to reconnect with his recently discovered half-brother Solomon (played by TV newcomer Daniel Ward).

Don Gilet in ‘Death in Paradise’ (BBC)

Speaking about their relationship in the series, Gilet said: “Well, I think phrases like ‘two peas in a pod’, do not apply… They couldn’t be more opposite. There’s Mervin and then there’s this guy who is on the opposite side of the tracks, potentially the opposite side of the law too...”

The series is a favourite among BBC viewers, attracting between five to six million viewers per episode. In 2022, it spawned a spin-off titled Beyond Paradise, the most recent episode of which aired over Christmas in 2025.

The show stars former Death in Paradise actor Kris Marshall as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman as well as Sally Bretton.