The Good Ship Murder Christmas special cast: Meet the characters
The festive episode welcomes a Call the Midwife star.
Following its debut in October 2023, The Good Ship Murder is getting its first ever Christmas special.
"The holiday season is off to a rocky start when the ship's resident Santa falls ill, threatening to disappoint the passengers," reads the official synopsis.
"Bev puts Jack in charge of finding a replacement Santa, and his search leads him to Buddy, a veteran comedian in Dubrovnik who seems like the perfect fit.
"However, unexpected events complicate Jack's plan, leaving everyone scrambling to save Christmas on board."
Elsewhere, Jack is also on a mission to "rekindle Kate's Christmas spirit and show her the magic of the festive season".
"As they spend more time together, their connection deepens, leaving everyone wondering if this Christmas will bring them closer together," continues the episode description.
Read more:
- Catherine Tyldesley and Shayne Ward on reuniting for The Good Ship Murder
- Best Christmas TV for 2024 – Your guide to what to watch
Alongside leads Shayne Ward as Jack and Catherine Tyldesley as Kate, a number of familiar faces have returned for the festive episode, alongside several new guest stars.
Find the full cast rundown below.
The Good Ship Murder main cast
- Shayne Ward as Jack
- Catherine Tyldesley as Kate
- Claire Sweeney as Beverley
- Geoffrey Breton as Piers
- Zak Douglas as Jamil
- Kiza Deen as Frankie
- James Barriscale as Captain Marlowe
- Cliff Parisi as Buddy Elveden
- Naomi Radcliffe as Karen McCalliste
- Emily Stott as Joni McClane
- Victoria Schranz as Victoria
For more information about the characters and where you've seen the actors before, read on.
Returning characters
Shayne Ward plays Jack
Who is Jack? A cabaret singer who used to be a detective in the special crimes unit. When a passenger is killed in the first episode of season 1, he joins forces with First Officer Kate Woods to solve the crime – and the rest, as they say, is history.
"Jack is a really likeable guy," said Ward. "He's the type of person who walks into a room and knows everyone - says hello to everyone. He's a really kind soul who always wants to do the best for others and sees the best in others.
"He's done his time in the police force, worked hard, been very committed, and now he's enjoying this new chapter in his life. When we meet him, his past and present are about to collide. He's solving crimes by day and entertaining passengers by night. It's such good fun, a real rollercoaster of a part."
Where have I seen Shayne Ward before? As well as winning The X Factor, he previously appeared in Coronation Street as Aidan Connor.
Catherine Tyldesley plays Kate
Who is Kate? A first officer who is training for her captain's licence while solving murders alongside Jack, with whom she has palpable chemistry.
Tyldesley described her as "fierce", adding: "She's very smart and very career driven. It's been a struggle for her to get to where she is in a very male-dominated arena, but it's never once set her back. She is just as good, if not better, than every male opponent she's ever come across."
Where have I seen Catherine Tyldesley before? Most people know her as Eva Price from Coronation Street. She's also appeared in Sky comedy Trollied, ITV crime drama Viewpoint, BBC sitcom Scarborough and an episode of ITV's McDonald & Dodds.
Claire Sweeney plays Beverley
Who is Beverley? The cruise director. It's her job to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, a responsibility she relishes.
Where have I seen Claire Sweeney before? She's best known for playing Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside. She joined Coronation Street this year.
Geoffrey Breton plays Piers
Who is Piers? Another first officer on the ship. He was engaged to Kate, but they have since split.
Where have I seen Geoffrey Breton before? He appeared in ITV's Blue Murder and BBC One's The Diary of Anne Frank, and he played Princess Anne's first husband Mark Phillips in Netflix's The Crown.
Zak Douglas plays Jamil
Who is Jamil? He works on the ship, and also acts as Jack's eyes and ears when dealing with the guests.
Where have I seen Zak Douglas before? You might have watched him in The Larkins.
New characters
- Kiza Deen (Hollyoaks) plays Frankie – the new head of security on the ship.
- James Barriscale (Doctors) plays Captain Marlowe.
The Good Ship Murder Christmas special guest stars
- Cliff Parisi (Call the Midwife, EastEnders) plays Buddy Elveden – a stand-up comedian.
- Naomi Radcliffe (Coronation Street) plays Karen McCallister – Buddy's assistant.
- Emily Stott (Foundation) plays Joni McClane – one of the ship's passengers.
- Victoria Schranz plays Victoria – Joni's daughter.
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The Good Ship Murder Christmas Special airs on Wednesday 18th December at 9pm on Channel 5 and My5.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
