BENIDORM IS MURDER
Brian Bovell, Denise Welch, Alistair McGowan and Tamzin Outhwaite join the cast of new John Hannah led comedy drama.
5 has today revealed a first look at its much anticipated 6 x 60 comedy drama Benidorm is Murder, led by John Hannah (The Mummy, The Last of Us, Four Weddings and a Funeral) as Dennis, a burned-out detective who has swapped the daily grind of the UK for a simpler life running a bar in Benidorm.
Looks like someone forgot to attach the images…naughty publicity peeple!!
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. Played by Carolina Bécquer, Rosa’s enthusiasm and determination to prove herself pulls Dennis out of his bar and into the action.
First look images from the show reveal the grumpy but secretly brilliant Dennis, joyful shining light Rosa, and Benidorm’s actual policing team including the formidable DS Maria Hernandez, played by Ariadna Cabrol and her green new PC Jesús Ballesteros played by Damian Schedler Cruz.
Also pictured is Brian Bovell as Benidorm enigma Archie, a philosopher, a poet and a permanent fixture at Dennis’ bar, who once in a while removes his head from the clouds to casually spot something everyone has missed.
Using Dennis’ real-world experience and showcasing Rosa’s encyclopedic TV knowledge, each episode sees the duo tackling a new murder, whilst trying to stay on the right side of the Spanish cops. As the bodies pile up, so do the guest stars, including Denise Welch (Waterloo Road, Tip Toe), Alistair McGowan (The Big Impression, Bleak House) and Tamzin Outhwaite (The Tower, Hotel Babylon).
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.”
The series was commissioned by Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor, 5 and the project is led 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 on board as international distributor for the title.
Chiara Cardoso and Camilla Hammer are Executive Producers for Blackbox Multimedia, Mike Benson and Andy Morgan for Clapperboard, Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia and Viviane Richard for ZDF Studios. Ian Jarvis (The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin) is writer and creator of the series, with Simon Delaney (Death in Paradise, The Young Offenders) on board as Lead Director, with Dermot Boyd (The Madame Blanc Mysteries) directing Episode 5. Yasmin Akram (Flack), Claire Downes (The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, The Outlaws) and Tom Parry (Your Christmas or Mine, Your Christmas or Mine 2) are also Writers.
Benidorm is Murder is set to air on 5 in 2026.
MY CRAZY MILLION DOLLAR WEDDING
A world-first for vertical digital platforms & TV. 40-episode digital vertical series and 1 x 90’ linear compilation.
5 has commissioned an observational documentary/reality series designed simultaneously for vertical digital and linear platforms from Firecracker Films, in what is believed to be a world-first.
Vertical digital shorts are completely transforming the way stories are made and consumed, providing non-stop, must-see moments with short bingeable episodic content. The 40 x 1 – 3 minute episodes will be made available and then a 1 x 90’ compilation episode will play out across 5’s linear and streaming platforms.
My Crazy Million Dollar Wedding dives behind the scenes of high-end, luxury nuptials of the super-wealthy young couples marrying in stunning locations around the world. Today’s luxury weddings are outrageous global events combining fashion, performance and spectacle, costing well into the millions. And the super-rich brides and grooms love nothing more than showing off their ceremonies by splashing them across social media. From exclusive villas in Lake Como, to a pop star personally singing you down the aisle – the level of pomp and pageantry has gone stratospheric with clips frequently going viral and attracting millions of hits on TikTok and Instagram.
We’ll join the brides in the lead up to their extravagant weddings, capturing the dramas, tribulations and joyous celebrations of those intense final weeks.
Commissioning Editor, 5, Federico Ruiz said: “With the vertical market exploding and audiences devouring micro‑series like Pringles, My Crazy Million Dollar Wedding is a glossy, addictive, returnable format that blends observational filming with new‑school digital storytelling. These cross-cultural experiments are where the industry is heading and we want to plant our flag firmly in this space. This is a slightly new departure for 5 – and we are ready to take it on.”
Executive Producer, Tayte Simpson, Firecracker Films added: “We’re incredibly excited to be producing a world-first reality series that unfolds simultaneously across digital vertical platforms, streaming, and linear TV. It marks a bold new direction for reality shows, with a series that taps into Firecracker Films’ reputation for fun and mischief.”
The series has been commissioned by Federico Ruiz, commissioning editor for 5, and is being produced by Firecracker Films, Tayte Simpson Executive Producer and Tammy Hoyle, Creative Director. Firecracker Films are the producers of “Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over” and “Emma Willis: Delivering Babies”.