Vicar of Dibley legend James Fleet will guest star in the Beyond Paradise Christmas special.
The hugely popular actor will appear alongside Kris Marshall (who plays DI Humphrey Goodman) and Sally Bretton (Martha Lloyd) in the first festive edition of the Death in Paradise spin-off.
Fleet is known to millions of Vicar of Dibley fans as bumbling Hugo, the son of David Horton, who married Alice Tinker (Emma Chambers) in the long-running sitcom starring Dawn French. He's also starred in heaps of big movies including Four Weddings and a Funeral. And he played King George III in Bridgerton.
Isaac Vincent-Norgate (Sanditon), Amalia Vitale (Endeavour), Kulvinder Ghir (Still Open All Hours), Sheila Reid (Benidorm) and Bellowhead also guest star.
The BBC revealed that the episode will see Humphrey and his team perplexed by a string of burglaries that aren't what they seem. Poor Kelby is forced into a spot of babysitting… but for a cheek young shoplifter rather than an actual baby!.
Meanwhile, Humphrey must resist the pressure from CS Charlie Woods to close the police station. Esther has her own problems to deal with as her teenage daughter, Zoe (Melina Sinadinou), isn't pleased she's made to work in Santa's Grotto. And could there be more trouble for Martha and Humphrey as Martha has a chance encounter? There's no hint that Humphrey and Martha will finally tie the knot!
Kris Marshall (DI Humphrey Goodman), Sally Bretton (Martha Lloyd), Zahra Ahmadi (DS Esther Williams), Dylan Llewellyn (PC Kelby Hartford), Barbara Flynn (Anne Lloyd) and Felicity Montagu (Margo Martins) all return to Shipton Abbott.
It's an exciting time for Death in Paradise fans with Death in Paradise season 13 on the way and the Death in Paradise Christmas special 2023. Plus Beyond Paradise season 2 is in the pipeline and there's even a new spin-off, Return to Paradise, which is set in Australia being made!