Death in Paradise: Cops investigate a when holiday maker is found shot dead on the beach

And, like Doctor Who, fans have also accepted that the lead actor will keep changing. We started with Ben Miller, before Kris Marshall took over and then handed on the baton to Ardal O’Hanlon. Ralf Little was the next star to move to the Caribbean, and had the longest stint to date, but he left at the end of the last series.

So, now it’s time for a new DI to take up residence on the beautiful but crime-ridden island of Saint Marie – and he’s played by former EastEnder Don Gilet.

The actor knows it’s a big responsibility. He says: ““Being offered the new lead role in Death in Paradise feels like a deeply loved and incredibly precious jewel has been placed in my hands. This is a big show, with a big heart and the love continually grows for it.

“It is my intention to never lose sight of that and to remain grateful, humbled and dedicated. Even during those testing times when every sinew is screaming at me to run off the set and dive into the sea, swimming pool or an ice-cold beer – whichever happens to be closer at the time!”

It maybe took some of the pressure off to know that this festive special also has an impressive cast of guest stars, including Jim Howick (Ghosts), Angela Griffin (The Wives), Marcus Brigstocke (The Unbelievable Truth), Steven Hartley (Happy Valley), Elizabeth Carling (Hotel Portofino), Michael Salami (Supacell) and Dex Lee (Doctors).

There are also the regulars, including Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas, Ginny Holder as Officer Darlene Curtis and Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers.

The cops investigate when holiday maker Stuart Fullwell (Brigstocke) is found shot dead on the beach.

The case gets more complicated when it turns out two more men were shot, and there’s seemingly nothing to connect the three victims apart from the fact that they were all shot with the same gun at the same time – and they were all dressed as Santa.

The local police could really use an experienced DI to help them get to the bottom of it, so the Commissioner is pleased to learn that there just happens to be one on the island – Londoner Mervin Wilson (Gilet), who has been ruffling feathers among the locals.

Mervin is due to return home when he gets a call from his boss to say that he’s been seconded to Honore, whether he likes it or not.

How will Mervin react, and how will his colleagues adapt to their boss’s new methods? And could there be one than more mystery to solve, as the viewers and regulars try to work out exactly what brought Mervin to Saint Marie?

Meanwhile, Dwayne has problems of his own as his Christmas with his dad does not go to plan.