Beyond Paradise Christmas Special cast tease a festive surprise for Humphrey and Martha fans and “a very Christmassy story that warms the cockles”
Published: 8 December 2025
When Esther discovers a man on the steps of the Shipton Abbott police station with no memory, holding a photo of Humphrey, the team gets to work to uncover who the mysterious man is while balancing a flurry of festive cases in the Beyond Paradise Christmas Special.
At the same time, with the help of Anne, Zoe and a special guest, Martha races to pull off her secret plan while Kelby tries to help a mystery man trapped inside his snowman costume. But with an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack, and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?
SJP/ beyondparadise@premiercomms.com
Meet the cast
Kris Marshall (DI Humphrey Goodman)
Humphrey is confronted with a deeply personal case when an elderly man with dementia turns up clutching only a photograph of him. How does this affect Humphrey and the way he approaches the investigation?
It’s such a personal story for Humphrey. A man turns up on his doorstep with a picture and we’re not sure why, but it soon becomes a deeply touching story. I find it becomes especially personal because of the eventual reason as to why he has Humphrey’s photograph – it’s a very Christmassy story that warms the cockles.
Martha is working on a surprise Christmas plan for Humphrey. Is he suspicious of her plans at all?
There’s an irony in that a man like Humphrey can be acutely aware of the smallest minutiae of things while missing the bigger picture in his own personal life. He’s a paradox of a man because he can see the smallest detail that many would miss and then end up walking into a lamppost soon after.
Are you good at keeping secrets, or do you tend to give the game away?
I’m excellent at keeping secrets! Whether they’re good, bad, big, small – I cover all secret bases.
Audiences love Humphrey and Martha together, and they’re in for a treat this Christmas. Why do you think people are such fans of their relationship?
Because it’s fun, honest, and truthful. The audience has seen them grow from the time they met to how they are now. Initially, you think they’re a bit of an odd couple, but you realise they’re perfect for each other. They’re great fun – and they have a duck! That’s really the cherry on the cake.
What do you think your character’s favourite part of Christmas dinner is?
The crackers. It’s a mystery about what you’re going to get, and Humphrey loves a mystery.
What is your favourite Christmas song?
‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues, or ‘War Is Over’ by John Lennon.
The whole Shipton Abbott police force work hard to make someone’s Christmas very memorable – do you have a favourite Christmas you remember?
Christmas at my grandparents in Nottinghamshire was always fun. I would sleep in the loft when I stayed there, which had a big metal ladder you’d have to pull down – so when my granddad tried to hang up our stockings at midnight, he’d wake us up accidentally because the ladder was quite loud.
My granddad trying and failing miserably to quietly hang up our stockings is always a nice memory. We also used to get like six feet of snow, so as a three-or-four-year-old, this snow was the height of skyscrapers to me.
Have you encountered any unique Christmas traditions unique to Devon and Cornwall whilst you’ve been filming Beyond Paradise?
Everyone goes to town on New Year’s Eve in fancy dress – I’m not sure if it’s unique to Devon and Cornwall but I think it might be!
What makes the perfect Christmas Special?
What’s brilliant about Christmas for shows is that it’s like all the best episodes are rolled into one. The writers, the producers, the actors, and the stories are all going for gold. They’re often also standalone stories, nicely wrapped up in a heartwarming bow designed to make everyone watching feel good. It’s just what you want at Christmas when you’re stuffed. The Christmas special is a wonderful tradition. I think it’s unique to the UK as well; I normally spend my Christmas in France, and they don’t have anything like that there or elsewhere in Europe. It’s uniquely British thing and I think that’s lovely.
Sally Bretton (Martha Lloyd)
(L-R) Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), Martha Lloyd (Sally Bretton) Image: BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Joss Barratt
Martha is working on a surprise Christmas plan with help from Anne, Zoe and a mystery guest. Are you good at keeping secrets or do you tend to give the game away?
Oh no, I’m good at keeping secrets. If someone entrusts me with one, then I’m like a vault.
Audiences love Humphrey and Martha together, and they’re in for a treat this Christmas. Why do you think people are such fans of their relationship?
I think because it’s a real love match. They are both kind-hearted by nature and they genuinely want the best for each other. As a couple, they enjoy each other’s company and have so much fun. It’s been a hard road for them and they’re finally in a happy spot. I can’t wait for viewers to see their relationship develop in the next series.
How are Martha and Humphrey coping without Rosie?
It was hard for them when Rosie left. However, their relationship is important and brings them so much joy. I think they have decided to focus on themselves, and their lives instead of the hole Rosie left behind.
What do you think Martha’s favourite part of Christmas dinner is?
Martha loves it when the table is set beautifully, with gorgeous crockery and decorations. She would definitely make it all look wonderful. All of her food would be of excellent quality; it would be simple but gorgeously cooked.
The whole Shipton Abbott police force work hard to make someone’s Christmas very memorable.
Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
Probably when my brother was away in Australia and returned home. When he came back, he surprised my grandparents by hiding in a bush in the garden. My mum set off lots of fireworks, and he appeared through the mist. It was magical.
What makes the perfect Christmas special?
Something that tugs on the heartstrings a bit and is all about people who love each other and cherish being together. It would wrap up with a beautiful ending, leaving you feeling warm.
Zahra Ahmadi (DS Esther Williams)
It’s a small town and Esther’s forced to come face to face with Archie after their heartbreaking ending in series three. How is she holding up?
I think it’s still a bit of an open wound for Esther, but she’s just trying to carry on and move on with her life as best she can – she’s really trying to focus on doing what’s best for her, and what’s best for Zoe, giving her the best Christmas possible. But of course, when she sees Archie, it feels like it was just yesterday when she cut things off with him – it’s a confusing time for Esther.
This episode has a fantastic guest cast, tell us about working with them?
Johnny Weldon as Margo’s nephew was great – he’s very funny, and it’s always fun to work with people who can make you laugh easily. Every one of our festive special guest cast this year, Adrian Edmondson, James Lance too, has really felt like a natural extension of the series – it was a joy to work with them all.
What do you think your character’s favourite part of Christmas dinner is?
Honestly, I think it would be the leftovers the next day – I can see Esther and Zoe turning everything left over into some great picky bits, relaxing together and making the most of the gifts they’ve given each other.
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
I would say ‘O Holy Night’ because it is in my favourite Christmas film Home Alone.
Have you encountered any unusual Christmas traditions unique to Cornwall while you’ve been filming Beyond Paradise?
I’m not quite sure because we typically finish filming just before the festivities get truly started down in Devon and Cornwall – I know in some places everyone goes and celebrates the New Year all dressed up in different costumes!
The whole Shipton Abbot police force work hard to make someone’s Christmas very memorable – do you have a favourite Christmas you remember?
For me, I always think back to the Christmases with my grandparents who lived in Cornwall. The whole family there, playing board games by the fire, enjoying Christmas dinner together all cosy in the house. It’s one of the few times of the year that every member of my extended family would be in the same place which was really special.
What makes the perfect Christmas Special?
I think it’s all about making something that is very fun and ultimately heartwarming – I think for us, it’s about making sure that’s at the heart of it alongside a good, tough mystery. I think we’re really knocked it out of the park with this year’s special.
Dylan Llewellyn (PC Kelby Hartford)
Kelby finds himself in a festive predicament when a man is trapped inside a snowman costume. What’s the strangest or funniest Christmas emergency you’ve ever had (on screen or off)?
I think Christmas lunch can always end up being a bit of an emergency. Once, my brother and I tried cooking the Christmas roast for the first time together for our parents as a treat. We ended up in a full-on panic because neither of us knew which meat to buy – we didn’t know what we were doing! Fortunately, our parents guided us, and we ended up getting a duck. The duck saved Christmas!
Other than that, thankfully it’s always been pretty relaxed at the Llewellyn house. This episode has a fantastic guest cast, tell us about working with them? 5 I’d already known Jonny Weldon from his online content, through his TikTok and YouTube which I always found hilarious. So, it was such a pleasure to work with him and he’s so well-cast as Margo’s nephew.
Jonny and Felicity are such funny people, and they had great chemistry between them. He really fit into the Beyond Paradise family like a glove, but everyone did, really! Every guest star we’ve had has been lovely, but I think this festive episode was special for everyone, including the guests.
What do you think your character’s favourite part of Christmas dinner is, and what’s yours?
I think Kelby loves a turkey and he’d keep it going for days after. He would have cold Christmas turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day all the way up to New Year’s Eve. He’s definitely a big meat-eater. Personally, I love the roasties. Roasties and Yorkshire puddings in gravy are my definite favourites.
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
I love ‘White Christmas’, specifically the one they use in Home Alone by Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, and ‘Stop the Cavalry’ by Jona Lewie. The whole Shipton Abbott police force work hard to make someone’s Christmas very memorable – do you have a favourite Christmas you remember? I’d say probably when I was around eight or nine, when I used to get my stocking in the morning and share gifts with my family. I used to love playing with new toys or gathering around the table for a festive board game. Christmas as a kid feels so much more special than when you’re an adult – there’s an element of magic to it.
What makes the perfect Christmas special?
I think anything that feels like it was made for the whole family always hits the spot with Christmas. That’s what I think a lot of Christmas is about – your family all coming together to celebrate and be together. I think the best Christmas TV always feels warm and comforting.
Barbara Flynn (Anne Lloyd)
Martha is working on a surprise Christmas plan with help from Anne, Zoe, and a mystery guest. Are you good at keeping secrets, or do you tend to give the game away?
I do try not to give the game away! Secrets come in all shapes and sizes, and the smaller ones are easier to keep. I haven’t had much practice lately, but as actors we’re used to holding things back, both in scenes and interviews. It’s lovely to keep a secret, especially when it’s a happy one.
Audiences love Humphrey and Martha together, and they’re in for a treat this Christmas. Why doyou think people are so behind their relationship? And has Anne finally come around to him?
Everyone says Anne doesn’t like Humphrey, but she really does, they’re just very different. Their relationship has that classic mother-in-law tension, especially since they live so close. Humphrey fascinates her because he is always clumsy and usually finds himself in the wrong place, but she loves him all the same. He is the opposite of Kris!
As for Martha and Humphrey, they are so beautifully cast. There is such warmth and naturalness between them. Martha grounds Humphrey, helping him not to ‘fly off’. Their relationship is just gorgeous. It’s no wonder audiences love them.
What makes the perfect Christmas special?
For me, it’s all about bringing everyone together, around a table, in one place. That’s what Christmas is. This Christmas special captures that beautifully, with moments that are moving without being too sweet. It really feels like Christmas.
What do you think Anne’s favourite part of Christmas dinner is?
Probably when everyone finally sits down together. It’s hot, hectic, and chaotic getting there, but that moment of everyone gathered around the table is what she loves. It reminds me of one Christmas when my uncle came to visit. We’d hidden the television in a cupboard, which horrified him! So, we played Trivial Pursuit instead, and he ended up loving it, even saying it was the best Christmas because we actually talked to each other.
The whole Shipton Abbott police force works hard to make someone’s Christmas special – do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
That Christmas with my aunt and uncle is one I’ll never forget. It was simple but full of laughter. And of course, my first Christmas after my son was born – that was magical. I’m not particularly religious, but I do believe in people coming together. That’s what makes Christmas so special, being surrounded by those you love.
Felicity Montagu (Office Support Margo Martins)
Margo finds herself at the centre of the case when her nephew becomes a key suspect. How does she cope with this?
She doesn’t cope very well, actually. It’s the first time we see Margo truly vulnerable. Her family life is a bit of a mystery; her children aren’t around much, but she absolutely adores her nephew. She’s fiercely protective of him, almost embarrassingly so. When he’s accused, she’s devastated but determined to help prove he’s innocent. It’s touching to see Margo drop the humour and irony for once; this is personal, and she’s furious.
One character ends up in an embarrassing predicament dressed as a snowman. What’s the strangest or funniest holiday emergency you’ve ever had?
Once, on holiday in the Canary Islands with my daughter, I accidentally caused a huge argument between a couple. I kept referring to the woman as ‘the wife’, but she wasn’t! My daughter kept kicking me under the table, but I didn’t catch on. It was dreadful. She was mortified, and I was completely to blame.
This episode has a fantastic guest cast. Tell us about working with them.
Having Jonny Weldon in this episode was wonderful. He’s so talented, and it felt surreal seeing the next generation of actors coming through. It was a real privilege to work with him.
What do you think Margo’s favourite part of Christmas dinner is?
Definitely the stuffing! Something like apricot and sage. Margo loves her stuffing.
Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
Yes, one year we went to a beautiful restaurant in the Victoria area of London. My father never liked eating out, but he came, and he absolutely loved it. There was a man playing a xylophone, my daughter was tiny, and we just had the most wonderful time. I still treasure the photos of my dad looking so happy during the meal.
What makes the perfect Christmas special?
A mix of everything: a great plot, humour, touching moments, and beautiful locations. This one has all that, it’s funny and moving without being too sentimental. The episode has a particularly touching storyline which focuses on dementia and is especially heartfelt. I think people need both laughter and warmth at Christmas, especially now when the world feels tough. It’s a reminder to keep smiling.
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