PRODUCTION BEGINS ON HIGHLY ANTICIPATED THIRD SEASON OF AWARD-WINNING BRITBOX ORIGINAL "BEYOND PARADISE"

Fan favorites Kris Marshall, Sally Bretton, Zahra Ahmadi and Derry Girls' Dylan Llewellyn reprise their roles

· The cameras are rolling on the eagerly anticipated third season of BritBox's hit crime drama, Beyond Paradise. Co-commissioned with BBC, the new series will deliver more intriguing puzzles for the beloved Shipton Abbott team to solve. Fans will also be thrilled to reunite with Humphrey and Martha, who nearly tied the knot last series, as they continue their heartfelt fostering journey.

· The third season will see the return of Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman, Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd, Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford, Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd, Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins, Jade Harrison as CS Charlie Woods, and Melina Sinadinou as Zoe Williams. Jamie Bamber will also reprise his role as the charming Archie Hughes who is back following his departure from Shipton Abbott at the end of series one.

· Set against the idyllic backdrops of Devon and Cornwall, there are plenty of cases to keep the team on their toes, including a body found in the river on the county border, a baffling chocolate box poisoning, a historic farming feud and a spiking incident on the water. Away from the police station, Martha and Humphrey must overcome unexpected hurdles as foster parents, while the reappearance of Martha's old flame Archie presents an unexpected challenge. While Esther navigates a surprise encounter in her private life, a health scare for Anne stirs up painful memories, and Kelby embarks on a journey of personal growth.

· Winner of Best New Drama at this year's TV Choice Awards in London, the series continues to be one of the UK's most watched dramas.

· "We are delighted to be back in the beautiful South West, filming what promises to be our strongest series yet, packed full of mysteries, surprises, challenges and lots of heart," said Tim Key, Executive Producer, Red Planet Pictures. We love making the show and the audience response to it is fantastic, and it's especially exciting to welcome back Jamie Bamber to Shipton Abbott- we can't wait for everyone to see what we've been up to."

· Created by Robert Thorogood and Tony Jordan, Beyond Paradise is a co-commission between the BBC and BritBox International and is produced by Red Planet Pictures, part of the Asacha Media Group. Tony Jordan, Tim Key and Belinda Campbell are executive producers for Red Planet Pictures, Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC, and Robert Schildhouse and Stephen Nye for BritBox International. Lindsay Hughes is producer.

· The first and second seasons of Beyond Paradise are available to watch now on BritBox in North America and Nordic markets and on iPlayer in the UK.

· Beyond Paradise is internationally distributed by BBC Studios, with series one and two successfully selling to nearly 135 territories worldwide to date.

###

About BritBox

BritBox is the leading streaming destination for the best of British television and culture, offering the most comprehensive, must-see collection of British entertainment all in one place. Providing a pipeline of exceptional storytelling, and showcasing the depth and breadth of British creativity from across the UK, BritBox curates a quality selection of classic titles and original commissions across a variety of genres, including critically-acclaimed dramas, comedies, documentaries and lifestyle programming. Launched in 2017 and now wholly owned by BBC Studios, BritBox is available in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Nordics. For more, visit britbox.com, or find the BritBox app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

About Red Planet Pictures

Red Planet Pictures, part of the Asacha Media Group, is run by Joint Managing Directors, Belinda Campbell and Alex Jones, and has built a reputation for high-quality storytelling and ambitious and engaging drama and which is loved by audiences across the globe.

Red Planet Pictures has produced some of the UK's most successful dramas of recent years including BBC One ratings hit DEATH IN PARADISE which is broadcast in over 260 territories across the world and has run for over a decade on screen. The popularity and success of the show has led to the expansion of the DEATH IN PARADISE universe with BBC and BritBox International co-commissioned spin-off, BEYOND PARADISE starring Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton as DI Humphrey Goodman and Martha Lloyd the first series of which was the UK's most watched new drama of the year and has now been recommissioned for a third series and second Christmas Special. The recently announced RETURN TO PARADISE is a brand new, original Australian spin-off series produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia with Red Planet Pictures for the ABC in association with the BBC, who will screen the series on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK later this year.

The indie, which was founded by award-winning showrunner and Executive Chairman, Tony Jordan in 2006, is also behind the epic adaptation of the unfinished Jane Austen novel SANDITON by Emmy and BAFTA-Award winning writer Andrew Davies for MASTERPIECE, BritBox UK and ITV, and hugely successful adaptation of the award-winning, best-selling novel by Louise Candlish, OUR HOUSE for ITV. Candlish is now working with Red Planet Pictures on adapting her 2016 thriller, THE SWIMMING POOL, and her newest book, THE ONLY SUSPECT, as well as working on new, original, drama series ideas and scripts.

Red Planet Pictures' broad development slate also includes an adaptation of Mike Phillips' ground-breaking novel, BLOOD RIGHTS, by one of the UK's hottest writing talents, Ryan Calais Cameron, Megan Hunter's THE HARPY, New York Times best-selling author Antony Johnston's THE EXPHORIA CODE and DARK PINES by Will Dean which has award-winning Rose Ayling-Ellis attached to play the lead role.

For more information, visit: redplanetpictures.co.uk

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with sales of £2.1 billion (2021/22: £1,630 million). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the global Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Channels & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. Around 2,500 hours of award-winning British programmes are made by the business every year, with over 80% of total BBC Studios revenues coming from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com is BBC Studios' global digital news platform, offering up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features. BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |