5 has unveiled the first-look trailer for its brand-new comedy drama Benidorm is Murder, starring John Hannah, with the series set to bring sunshine, mystery and comedy to screens in 2026.
At a glance:
- 5 releases the first-look trailer for new comedy drama Benidorm is Murder
- John Hannah stars as former detective Dennis, who finds himself solving murders in Benidorm
- Carolina Bécquer co-stars as aspiring actress and crime drama superfan Rosa
- The series is set to appeal to fans of Death in Paradise and 5’s hit drama The Good Ship Murder
- Guest stars include Denise Welch, Alistair McGowan and Tamzin Outhwaite
- Benidorm is Murder will air on 5 in 2026
The newly released trailer offers viewers their first glimpse of Benidorm is Murder, a new crime comedy that sees John Hannah (The Mummy, The Last of Us, Four Weddings and a Funeral) swap gloomy British murder investigations for the sun-drenched streets of Spain.
Hannah stars as Dennis, a burned-out detective who has left the UK behind to run a bar in Benidorm in search of a quieter life. However, when tourists begin turning up dead, retirement is put firmly on hold as he’s reluctantly pulled back into detective work.
Helping him crack the cases is his new barmaid Rosa, played by Carolina Bécquer. An aspiring actress with an encyclopaedic knowledge of TV crime dramas, Rosa’s enthusiasm and determination prove to be the perfect foil for Dennis’ world-weary detective instincts.
The trailer also introduces Benidorm’s police force, including the formidable DS Maria Hernandez (Ariadna Cabrol) and rookie PC Jesús Ballesteros (Damian Schedler Cruz), alongside Brian Bovell’s Archie – the philosopher, poet and long-time regular at Dennis’ bar whose offbeat observations often help unlock the biggest mysteries.
Each episode follows Dennis and Rosa as they investigate a brand-new murder while trying to stay on the right side of the local police. As the body count rises, so too does an impressive line-up of guest stars, including Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Tip Toe), Alistair McGowan (The Big Impression, Bleak House) and Tamzin Outhwaite (The Tower, Hotel Babylon).
Speaking about the series, John 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 a such a brilliant cast on this, everyone is pitch perfect for their roles, and I can’t wait for viewers to meet Carolina who was born to play Rosa.”
Benidorm is Murder was commissioned by Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor at 5, and is produced by BlackBox Multimedia (The Ex-Wife, The Castaways, This Time Next Year) and Clapperboard (The Teacher, The Game, The Madame Blanc Mysteries), with ZDF Studios handling international distribution.
The series is created and written by Ian Jarvis (The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin), with Simon Delaney (Death in Paradise, The Young Offenders) serving as lead director. Yasmin Akram, Claire Downes and Tom Parry also write for the series, while Dermot Boyd directs Episode 5.
Benidorm is Murder is coming to 5 in 2026.
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