'Murder, They Hope' — release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know

Murder, They Hope is here! After unmasking killers on a coach trip, an ill-fated cruise and at a creepy campsite, Sian Gibson and Johnny Vegas are back on the case as former tour guides Gemma and Terry, who find themselves embroiled in more hilarious homicides in Gold’s three-part comedy drama sequel Murder, They Hope. 

A follow-up to Murder on the Blackpool Express, Death on the Tyne and Dial M for Middlesbrough, the series sees the duo become private investigators.

Here’s everything we know about Murder, They Hope...

Murder, They Hope release date...

The three-part series Murder, They Hope airs weekly from Saturday May 8 on Gold at 9pm. Gold is available through Sky, Virgin TV, BT, TalkTalk TV and Now.

What is Murder, They Hope about?

After their tour bus blew up in Dial M for Middlesbrough, the couple have now set up their own private detective agency. But the cash-strapped pair, who are saving up for their wedding, are forced to live with Gemma’s snooty sister Monica (Miranda’s Sarah Hadland).

“Gemma and Terry have lost their beloved business, and their home, so they are now starting afresh. Gemma thinks they have their big chance to move up in the world and fancies their chances at being private investigators,” says Car Share star Gibson. “She’s like a poor man's Stephanie Powers from Hart to Hart! She has always been the ambitious one in the relationship. Terry’s just going along with it for an easy life! But their new life away from the coach business has put a strain on their relationship...”

“It is still wonderful, harmless fun,” adds Vegas. “I think there's been a nice little shift in these two characters. Being off the road is getting to Terry. The magic has gone out of their relationship. There's not a single kiss in this series!”

What cases do Gemma and Terry tackle in Murder, They Hope?

The opening episode of Murder, They Hope involves a sinister rabbit figurine at a car boot sale, which leads them into a world of obsessive collectors and a murderous masked Bunny Man! Meanwhile, later in the run, they deal with killings at an am-dram group and even another a coach tour serial killer.

“Terry and Gemma actually have to go undercover back in the coaching world, and he just loves it. He's back in his element,” says Johnny Vegas.

“Spoiler alert, our old uniforms make a comeback!” laughs Sian Gibson. “That’s what I love about the series, each episode is more ridiculous than the last, and they are all so different in tone.”

Who’s starring in Murder, They Hope?

Shobna Gulati joins the cast this series as Gemma’s disapproving police officer sister-in-law Vicky, while a star-studded roster of guests will also appear including EastEnders’ Nitin Ganatra, Benidorm’s Janine Duvitski and Gavin & Stacey’s Adrian Scarborough in episode one. Meanwhile, Paul Whitehouse, Jason Manford and Lee Mack will also feature later in the run, along with Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts), Layton Williams (Bad Education) and Steve Edge (Benidorm).

“They’re phenomenal,” says Gibson. “I was starstruck, they are all comedy legends. Some days were impossible because we were laughing so much. Johnny can be naughty and loves to make people laugh when they’re not supposed to!”

“I think everybody who comes in has a tremendous dynamic. Because we all get on, we all want to make each other laugh, whether the cameras are turning over or not,” says Vegas. “Every new person who comes in brings a brilliant new energy to it. You could say that everybody is hamming it up a little bit. But we are not destroying it, we are just heightening it. We are saying, ’Come on, it's allowed.’ It's not Bleak House!”

In episode 2 of Murder, They Hope, look out for Paul Whitehouse. Paul dons a massive stripy chef’s hat and apron to guest star. He plays local baker Monty, who gets accused of poisoning the cast members of an am-dram production of Romeo and Juliet by supplying them with dodgy baked goods. But unlikely crimefighters Terry (Johnny Vegas) and Gemma (Sian Gibson) aren’t convinced he’s guilty when they uncover a bitter baking feud between Monty and a rival pastry maker. Naturally there are lots of rude jokes involving donuts and éclairs. Also look out for Benidorm star Steve Edge (aka Billy Dawson) as Terry’s ex best mate, Simon, who causes a stir when he turns up fresh out of jail with a score to settle…

In the final episode of Murder, They Hope you can see Lee Mack who turns serial killer. He plays coach driver Willy Watkins, who’s killing his victims according to the verses of the song The Wheels on the Bus and dumping them at famous locations on the route of Yorkshire Dales coach tours. The first murder is by an unusual spin! When the fifth man is found killed by a giant bell (‘the bell on the bus goes ding, ding, ding’) Terry and Gemma must go undercover in their old lives as coach tour operators…

Murder, They Hope — where can I watch the previous three whodunnits in the series?

Murder on the Blackpool Express, Death on the Tyne and Dial M for Middlebrough are available on demand on Sky, Virgin and Now TV.