Beyond Paradise renewed for season 3 after wedding twist for Humphrey and Martha

The news comes hot on the heels of the season 2 finale, which saw Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and Martha (Sally Bretton) almost tie the knot – but not quite.

Ultimately, the nuptials became "too much", with Martha saying: "Our wedding day should be about what we want, and it doesn't feel that way."

Meanwhile, the couple's fostering journey came to a happy conclusion when they welcomed young Ryan into their home.

Reacting to the news of Beyond Paradise's renewal, executive producer Tim Key said: "The response to series two has been fantastic. So much love goes into the making of the show and we’re delighted that the audience have enjoyed it so much.

"We can’t wait to get back to Shipton Abbott for another Christmas special and series to continue the story and learn more about our characters and the town they live in – I can promise that we’ll be making the viewers laugh, cry, laugh a bit more and then baffling them with a series of ingenious puzzles. There will also be a duck," he added.

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: "Beyond Paradise has become such a huge hit with millions of viewers across the UK. It’s a show that is absolutely on a roll, and we’re beyond pleased to bring more fiendishly clever mysteries from the Shipton Abbott team to the BBC."

Beyond Paradise will return this Christmas. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to catch up on BBC iPlayer.