Death in Paradise creator's new crime drama Benidorm is Murder stars John Hannah and launches tonight.19:01, 30 Jul 2026A cozy new crime drama launches on Channel 5 on Thursday, July 30.‌From the creator behind Death is Paradise, and starring John Hannah, Benidorm is Murder is hitting screens.‌Starring John as retired detective Dennis, it follows him returning to his old career after hiring a new barmaid and crime drama enthusiast Rosa, portrayed by Carolina Becquer.‌As tourists and locals begin turning up dead, Dennis finds himself drawn into untangling the mysteries and puzzles that surround him.The synopsis for the new Channel 5 series teases: "Dennis is a burned-out ex-police officer hiding behind a failing Scottish pub in Benidorm. Rosa is an aspiring actress, obsessed with classic British crime shows, who talks her way into his bar, his investigations, and his life.‌"Together, they're the last people anyone would trust to solve a murder — which is exactly why they keep solving them. Set in the glorious and chaotic Benidorm — tribute acts, bingo queens, hen parties, sunburnt tourists and bar owners hanging on by a thread — Benidorm is Murder treats its setting as a beating heart, not as a punchline."Each episode delivers a fresh puzzle: clues, twists, a satisfying solution, and a corner of this febrile resort that turns unexpectedly deadly. Watching with exasperated admiration are sharp Spanish inspector Maria and puppy-ish young cop Jesús, who grudgingly learn to value the pair's instincts even as they roll their eyes at their methods."But the deeper Dennis and Rosa dig into Benidorm's underbelly, the more his past claws its way back. When an old enemy walks into The Tavern and a lock-in ends with blood on the floor, Dennis becomes the number one suspect in a murder mystery even he might not be able to solve," reports the Daily Record.‌Where is Benidorm is Murder filmed?Benidorm is Murder was filmed partly in and around Benidorm, a popular city and holiday hotspot in the province of Alicante, on Spain's Mediterranean coastline, although the opening two weeks of shooting took place in Gran Canaria.Reflecting on filming in her home town of Gran Canaria, Carolina confessed she never imagined in her "wildest dreams" that her first leading role in a comedy drama would be filmed there.‌"I remember when I got the call and they told me I got the job, I didn't want to celebrate, I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe it was real until I was on set, it was so surreal, not just my first big role but my first job basically," she said.Speaking about filming in Benidorm, star John added: "I hadn't really been there before, I'd been in the hills before. The other thing I think it gives, being a real place with its own kind of dynamic and vibe... you get some very broad characters, and I think in other shows they tend to create eccentricity for the sake of it, to create a kind of quirky character who comes in and does this."You can find anybody in Benidorm, and that helps with that energy. You've got such a broad canvas that any of those quirky characters fit in that canvas."‌He continued: “It was very accepting of how anybody wants to be, in terms of whatever tribe anybody was in and however they want to dress.“I never felt any kind of animosity or negativity in the streets, people were there to enjoy it.‌“Whether it was the stags or hens or retirees having mobility scooter races along the front.”Carolina went on to share her “lively” experience staying in Benidorm while filming, adding: “It was what you would expect from Benidorm, very lively at all times of day, there was always something going on.”She continued: “One of the things that I liked most about Benidorm is how warm people were and how friendly.Article continues below“I remember when we were shooting out on the street, people would come to us maybe and say something, watch for a little bit and then just continue with their day, but they were so friendly and nice, you don’t really get that everywhere.”Benidorm is Murder airs on Channel 5 on Thursday, July 30 at 9pm.