It's safe to say that the Beyond Paradise Christmas special was an eventful one, from Humphrey and Martha's wedding to the surprise appearance of Selwyn Patterson, who made the journey to Shipton Abbott to be Humphrey's best man.
At the end of season 14 of Death in Paradise, Selwyn (played by Don Warrington) announced his decision to step down from his role as police commissioner. After initially being replaced by a young officer, Selwyn was offered his job back but decided to turn it down. "I won't be staying," he said, adding: "Too much has happened and right now I can't see a way to get back to how things were."
© BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Philippe VirapinHowever, the Beyond Paradise Christmas special might have hinted at Selwyn's future after the former commissioner received a call from DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) during the wedding reception.
"That was the new inspector," he told Humphrey. "He is working on a case in Saint Marie, but there seems to be links to the UK, which he would like me to look into while I'm here."
Could Selwyn be referring to a case in the upcoming Death in Paradise Christmas special?
According to the synopsis, DI Mervin and the team call on a "familiar face" to help solve the mysterious deaths of four workers at an office Christmas party, which has links to a crime scene in Swindon.
© BBCThe synopsis teases: "DI Mervin Wilson and the team identify the murder weapon, but they're left baffled when they find that it was locked in a drawer when the murder took place... thousands of miles away from the crime scene, in Swindon! Stuck in Saint Marie, the team calls on the help of a familiar face to crack the case. Meanwhile, Mervin’s anxiously waiting to hear back from his newly discovered brother, which prevents him from embracing Saint Marie's Christmas celebrations. Can Mervin resolve his family situation and get into the festive spirit – for the sake of his team and the island?"
What has Don Warrington said about his return to the show?
In an interview with RadioTimes.com earlier this month, Don said that viewers of the show are "right to worry" about the commissioner's future.
© Red Planet Pictures/Denis Guyenon/BBC"He made a decision, and who knows. Is he going to change his mind? Is he not? Is something going to happen to help him one way or the other? I've no idea," said the actor.
Who stars in the Death in Paradise Christmas special?
Don Gilet leads the cast as DI Mervin Wilson, alongside returning stars Shantol Jackson (Naomi Thomas) Élizabeth Bourgine (Catherine Bordey), Ginny Holder (Darlene Curtis) and Shaquille Ali-Yebuah (Sebastian Rose).
© Red Planet Pictures / BBC / Philippe VarinMeanwhile, an impressive list of guest stars will appear in the special, including Josie Lawrence (EastEnders), Kate Ashfield (Shaun of the Dead, Sanditon) Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who, The Diplomat), James Baxter (Waterloo Road), Billy Harris (Ted Lasso) and Alix Serman.
The Death in Paradise Christmas special will air on 28 December at 8:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
