5 has released a first look at Benidorm Is Murder, the sun-soaked crime drama featuring The Mummy and Four Weddings and a Funeral star John Hannah in a new crime-solving lead role.
Hannah plays Dennis, a burned-out detective who left his UK police career behind to run a bar in the Spanish resort city, only to be dragged back into the job when tourists start turning up dead.
As the official synopsis teases: “When tourists start turning up dead, Dennis is reluctantly drawn back into detective work by his new barmaid, aspiring actress and crime drama superfan Rosa.”
Newcomer Carolina Bécquer takes on the role of Rosa, the crime-obsessed barmaid who becomes Dennis’s unlikely partner in the investigations. Hannah himself has described the part as the role Bécquer was “born to play”.
Catch the trailer for the series below.
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The six-part series, originally titled Death in Benidorm, pairs comedy with what the actor calls “serious emotional weight”.
Hannah said: “Benidorm Is Murder is a gem of a show, filled with joy and humour, but there’s a balance of comedy and serious emotional weight to the stories, which is testament to the writing.
“We have such a brilliant cast on this, everyone is pitch perfect for their roles, and I can’t wait for viewers to meet Carolina.”
Meanwhile, Brian Bovell, known for Andor, plays Archie, described as a “Benidorm enigma” who is never far from Dennis’s bar and often holds the last piece of insight that cracks a case.
Other cast members, including Ariadna Cabrol and Damian Schedler Cruz, round out the core ensemble as experienced DS Maria Hernandez and her newly qualified colleague PC Jesús Ballesteros.
Each episode brings a fresh murder for the group to solve, and 5 has lined up a starry roster of guest stars for the first season.
Those confirmed include Loose Women star Denise Welch, EastEnders icon Tamzin Outhwaite and impressionist Alistair McGowan.
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The series is created by Ian Jarvis, whose credits include The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin and Beyond Paradise, with Simon Delaney serving as lead director, having previously worked on BBC One’s cosy-crime staple Death in Paradise.
This would suggest fans of similar paradise-set mysteries are in for a style they can enjoy.
Benidorm Is Murder does not yet have a confirmed premiere date, but is intended to launch on 5 later this year.
Hannah, meanwhile, has been in the headlines regarding his return for a new entry in The Mummy franchise, which will reunite him with fellow original stars Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.
Benidorm Is Murder is coming to 5 in 2026.
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