Death in Paradise: Has Selwyn Patterson left as Christmas Special airs?
Death in Paradise returns with its Christmas Special on December 28 with Commissioner Selwyn Patterson notably absent from Saint Marie
Death in Paradise returns with its Christmas Special on December 28 with Commissioner Selwyn Patterson notably absent from Saint Marie
Death in Paradise is set to return on December 28 with its Christmas Special. The 2025 festive episode witnesses an office Christmas party of epic proportions taking a sinister twist when four colleagues awaken with the mother of all hangovers to discover a stranger gunned down in their villa’s swimming pool.
DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) and his team – DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Officer Sebastian Rose (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah) begin their investigation, though one crucial team member will be absent from Saint Marie: Commissioner Selwyn Patterson.
Selwyn, portrayed by Don Warrington, departed Saint Marie at the conclusion of the previous series.
Discussing his absence and its effect on the squad, Don, who portrays DI Mervin, explained: “You see how it impacts the characters, thinking that somebody who has employed them and has been there seemingly forever suddenly goes, ‘well, I’m off, I don’t want to do this anymore’. Selwyn has been the only one that really gets Mervin from a paternal perspective. He’s the only one that he’s shared his demons and fears with and he’s always a step ahead.”
“It’s certainly a great loss, that feeling that the person who you can always go to isn’t going to be there anymore. It’s left an emotional hole in the team, and it’s going to be interesting for audiences to see how they survive without him.”
Why did Selwyn Patterson leave Death in Paradise?
Death in Paradise fans will recall that Selwyn chose to depart the police force at the conclusion of the previous series. It proved to be a turbulent season for Don’s character, who learnt from the chief commissioner that his 50-year career would be coming to an end through retirement.
He contested the ruling, whilst his colleagues initiated a campaign to reinstate him. Selwyn was eventually presented with his position again in the series 14 finale, yet opted to decline it.
His departure was rather understated, despite featuring in the programme since 2011, with Selwyn confiding his choice only to Catherine Bordey, portrayed by Élizabeth Bourgine. As the series concluded, the squad made their way to the pub for celebrations, whilst Selwyn arrived by taxi.
When Catherine invited him to join them for a beverage, he disclosed his intention to depart. Though he’d been reinstated in the preceding episode, it appeared he’d experienced a change of perspective.
When questioned about rejecting the offer after such fierce resistance, Selwyn explained: “I don’t know, but it felt wrong to say yes, too much has happened, and right now, I can’t see a way to get back to how things were.”
Catherine enquired about the duration of his absence after he mentioned visiting his daughter, Andrina (Genesis Lynea). His answer remained evasive as he responded: “Who knows?”.
Taking leave of his companion, Selwyn requested: “Promise me, you will look after yourself and them (the team).”
Whilst agreeing to his wishes, Catherine presented her own conditions. She remarked: “Of course, promise me this isn’t farewell but au revoir.”
The conversation seemed to leave possibilities open, making it difficult to confirm whether Selwyn has truly departed.
When questioned about her character feelings about Selwyn’s exit ahead of the Christmas Special, Elizabeth revealed: “Initially, she was upset – and angry!”.
Selwyn Patterson (Image: BBC)
“They both did their best all throughout the last series, but she was angry because it was too easy for him to abandon things after all of that. Ultimately, she’s disappointed, but he’s her best friend, and whether he’s on Saint Marie or not, she will always support him.”
The Christmas Special synopsis states: “The Death in Paradise 2025 Christmas Special sees the office Christmas party of a lifetime take a dark turn when four co-workers wake up with the hangover from hell to find a stranger shot dead in the pool of their villa.
“DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) and the team – DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Officer Sebastian Rose (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah) – identify the murder weapon, but they’re left baffled when they find that it was locked in a drawer when the shooting took place… thousands of miles away from the crime scene, in Swindon! How is that possible? And why did the victim have the name of one of Santa’s reindeer inked on his palm?
“The suspects all claim to have never met the victim. But can they be trusted? As the team are led deeper into a web of secrets and criminality, it becomes clear that they’ll need all the help they can get to solve this baffling case. Perhaps an old colleague spending Christmas in the UK can be tempted to lend a hand..
“Meanwhile, Saint Marie’s festivities are gearing up. The annual nativity is afoot, and Mervin has a part to play. But the DI has other things on his mind. Months back, he reached out to his newly discovered brother, but still hasn’t received a response. Can Mervin resolve his family situation and get into the festive spirit – for the sake of his team and the island?”.
