The first images from Channel 5’s upcoming sun-soaked cosy crime series has been unveiled

A new detective series set to delight Death in Paradise fans has released first-look images.

While beloved BBC drama Death in Paradise follows police solving crimes on the sun-drenched fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, the “cosy” comedy thriller Benidorm is Murder centres on a “burned-out detective” looking into suspicious deaths in Spain.

John Hannah takes on the role of Dennis in the series coming to Channel 5, a former police officer who has traded life in the UK for a laid-back existence running a bar in Benidorm, reports the Express.

According to the official synopsis, things take a sinister turn when tourists begin dying and “he’s reluctantly drawn back into detective work – egged on by his barmaid Rosa, a crime drama superfan”.

“With Dennis’s real-world experience and Rosa’s encyclopaedic TV knowledge, each episode sees the duo tackling a new murder in paradise, whilst trying to remain on the right side of the local Spanish cops,” it said.

First look images released by production company Clapperboard Studios show John in character as “grumpy but secretly brilliant Dennis”, alongside barmaid Rosa, portrayed by Carolina Bécquer.

Other cast members include Ariadna Cabrol as the “formidable” DS Maria Hernandez and Damian Schedler Cruz as rookie PC Jesús Ballesteros.

“As the bodies pile up, so do the guest stars, including the brilliant Denise Welch, Alistair McGowan and Tamzin Outhwaite,” the post revealed. “Name a better happy hour, we’ll wait,” it teased.

John, known for films including Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Mummy trilogy, shared what it was like making the series after the photographs appeared on Instagram, declaring in the comments: “THE BEST TIME!”

“Had a wonderful time filming this,” Tamzin added.

Speaking when the series was announced, Greg Barnett, commissioning editor at 5, said: “I am thrilled to have John Hannah on board. He’s absolutely perfect for the role of Dennis – a character with sharp intellect, dry wit, and life experience – and from what I’ve seen already, viewers will fall in love with him.”

Viviane Richard, associate producer of the series at ZDF Studios, described the show as a “witty and charming addition to the cosy crime genre”.

Benidorm is Murder is set to air on Channel 5.