Death in Paradise spin-off Beyond Paradise is getting the Comic Relief treatment ahead of Red Nose Day as it joins forces with another big BBC show for an upcoming sketch

Beyond Paradise is set to join forces with another show starring Sally Bretton for Comic Relief – and it’s BBC One comedy Not Going Out.

In a sketch that will air on Red Nose Day, the worlds of detective drama Beyond Paradise and long-running comedy Not Going Out will collide in a mini cross-over special written by Lee Mack.

The comedian, who is the creator and star of Not Going Out, told Radio Times magazine: “Because Sal’s in both, it’s the idea that these two worlds collide, that her two characters collide – and comedy ensues.”

“When something’s new and different and throws you a bit of a curveball, that’s exciting,” he continued. “So this time, I thought ‘Rather than bring them to us, why don’t I go to the world of Beyond Paradise?’ So that’s what I did. Because we [Not Going Out] are in a studio a lot, being out on location and being in that world is great.”


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Sally Bretton currently stars in Beyond Paradise as Humphrey’s fiancée Martha, however she’s been playing Lucy Adams – Lee’s wife – on Not Going Out for the last 18 years.

While fans are yet to find out how the sketch will work with Sally playing two characters, many took to social media to express their excitement about the upcoming cross-over.

“That’s gonna be incredible,” one wrote on X. “Two of my fave shows together? Great idea! Especially makes so much sense with Sally in them both.”

Meanwhile, another wrote: “Without clicking on the link, I can already guess how this sketch will work,” with a smiley face.

Lee revealed that the sketch was filmed in Cornwall and has the “look and feel” of Beyond Paradise but with “very Not Going Out dialogue”. However, shooting proved difficult at times. “There’s the challenge of filming it because sometimes in a shot, you’ve got two characters played by the same actor.”

Earlier this month, Not Going Out star Lee Mack and Strictly Come Dancing’s Caroline Quentin joined the cast of Beyond Paradise’s upcoming series. The show currently stars Kris Marshall (who plays DI Humphrey Goodman); Sally Bretton (Martha Lloyd); Zahra Ahmadi (DS Esther Williams); Dylan Llewellyn (PC Kelby Hartford); Barbara Flynn (Anne Lloyd) and Felicity Montagu (Margo Martins).

Meanwhile, Jamie Bamber (Archie Hughes), Jade Harrison (CS Charlie Woods), and Melina Sinadinou (Zoe Williams) will be returning to the series