The Good Ship Murder returns with a new Christmas special
Starring Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley
Last updated 3rd Dec 2025
They had a complicated relationship as characters Eva Price and Aidan Connor in ITV soap Coronation Street, but fans were over the moon to see Catherine Tyldesley and Shayne Ward reunite last year, on Channel 5 drama The Good Ship Murder.
Following the popularity of the first two series and last year's Christmas special, it's now been confirmed The Good Ship Murder will return for another Christmas special this year!
When is the Christmas special out?
The Good Ship Murder Christmas special will air at 9pm on Saturday 27th December.
What will happen?
Set in Alicante, Spain, Channel 5 say of the plot: 'Donna, a woman claiming to suffer from a life-changing illness, boards the ship with her loyal friend Bernie. As the festive voyage begins, Donna charms fellow passenger Gary and yearning for a Christmas miracle, visits a remote monastery.
'There she meets Rodriguez, a mysterious man of the cloth, and Thomasina, an enigmatic nun. But the holiday cheer turns dark when Bernie is found dead.
'With Gary, Rodriguez, and Thomasina each under scrutiny, the hunt for the truth leads deep into a web of deceit and desperation. When the real story finally comes to light, it upends everything the crew thought they knew about the tragedy.
'Meanwhile Jack, recently sacked from the ship, is lying low performing to half-empty rooms in a grimy dive bar. The monastery murder draws Kate back to him, and with Jamil’s help, will the two finally rekindle their romance? As Christmas dawns, will Jack return back to where he belongs and will he share a Christmas song with everyone on board?'
Who is in the cast?
As well as Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley returning as Jack and Kate, the likes of Zak Douglas, Geoffrey Breton, Ross Adams, Kiza Deen, James Barriscale and Yuna Shin will also return for the Christmas special.
Lesley Dunlop, Joelle Dyson, Luis Soto, Gary Lucy, Rebecca Harland, Greta Holland and Michelle Holmes have also joined the cast.
Will there be a another series?
Yes! As well as the Christmas special, a third series of The Good Ship Murder will begin in early 2026. No specific date has been set just yet.
Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor at Channel 5, said: "Greg and I are excited for these new tales on The Good Ship Murder. The blend of music, mystery, and beautiful locations was a winning formula that our viewers loved in series one, and we’re excited to be working with Clapperboard again to bring this series back”.
Mike Benson, Managing Director of Clapperboard, added: “Series one was something of a journey - or mid-price cruise - into the unknown… not least trying to film a drama on a cruise ship with 6000 holidaymakers heading to 8 different countries! However, we were delighted with how the concept found an audience and are thrilled to be making two more series packed with sun, showtunes and subterfuge.”
What channel is it on?
The murder mystery airs on Channel 5.
How to watch past series
Series one of The Good Ship Murder started at 9pm on Friday 13th October 2023, with series two landing on Friday 10th January 2025.
Both series are now available to watch on Channel 5's streaming service.
Have Shayne and Catherine worked together before?
Shayne and Catherine played the roles of Aidan Connor and Eva Price in popular soap Coronation Street, enjoying a close working relationship as their characters endured some pretty major storylines.
After Shayne's character Aidan cheated on Catherine's character Eva, she faked a pregnancy and caused Aidan to lose his factory, but later chose to forgive him in time for their wedding. Despite this, Aidan couldn't forgive Eva for her lies and the pair split up.
As soap fans will know, Shayne was then involved in one of Coronation Street's most hard-hitting storylines when his character Aidan took his own life in heartbreaking scenes in 2018.
After Shayne left the soap in August 2018, Catherine later quit her role in 2019, to focus on other acting work after seven years in Weatherfield.
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