The Chelsea Detective

The Chelsea Detective is a British crime drama television series, created by Peter Fincham and broadcast on Acorn TV since its premiere on 23 February 2022. The series focuses on various murder cases which take place in Chelsea, London and the efforts of Detective Inspector Max Arnold and his partner to solve the crimes. The third season was broadcast in 2025.^[1] The fourth season started production in mid-2025 and will be broadcast in 2026.^[2]

The Chelsea Detective
Genre	Crime drama Mystery
Created by	Peter Fincham
Starring	Adrian Scarborough Sonita Henry Vanessa Emme Peter Bankolé Lucy Phelps
Composer	Ian Arber
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	12
Production
Executive producers	Peter Fincham Catherine Mackin Bea Tammer Wolfgang Feindt Caroline Stone
Producer	Ella Kelly
Cinematography	Rob Kiztman
Editor	Derek Bain
Running time	88 minutes
Production company	Expectation Drama
Original release
Network	Acorn TV
Release	7 February 2022 (2022-02-07) – present

Summary

The series focuses on the investigations of Detective Inspector Max Arnold, as he solves crimes in the London borough of Chelsea. He is partnered with Detective Sergeant Priya Shamsie in Series 1, and Detective Sergeant Layla Walsh in Series 2.^[3]

Cast

Characters and the series where they appeared

Character	Actor	Series
		1	2	3	4
DI Max Arnold	Adrian Scarborough	Main
DS Priya Shamsie	Sonita Henry	Main
DS Layla Walsh	Vanessa Emme		Main
DC Connor Pollock	Peter Bankolé	Main
DC Jess Lombard	Lucy Phelps	Main
Ashley Wilton, Chief Forensics Officer	Sophie Leigh Stone	Main

Episodes

Series 1 (2022)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	1	"The Wages of Sin"	Richard Signy	Glen Laker	7 February 2022 (2022-02-07)
Stonemason Andrew Knightley is pushed under a London Underground train during the morning rush hour. DI Max Arnold and his partner, DS Priya Shamsie, together build a picture of a lonely, devout, and troubled man who believed a spirit was leaving him vengeful Biblical messages. But the killer is flesh and blood, and a more earthly explanation may be found in the truth of Knightley's life.
2	2	"Mrs Romano"	Richard Signy	Glen Laker	14 February 2022 (2022-02-14)
This case follows the disappearance of a social media sensation who is married to the owner of an upmarket Chelsea eatery. Soon the investigation turns into a murder investigation and Max finds himself embroiled in explosive family politics.
3	3	"The Gentle Giant"	Darcia Martin	Peter Fincham	21 February 2022 (2022-02-21)
A popular security guard is stabbed to death on a patch of waste ground. He leaves behind his terminally ill wife and at first, it appears he died as a result of a drug deal gone wrong. However, as Max and Priya soon realize, nothing is as it seems.
4	4	"A Chelsea Education"	Darcia Martin	Liz Lake	28 February 2022 (2022-02-28)
A teacher in a prestigious international school is murdered at home shortly before he's due to move to Japan. Although the teacher is said to have been well-liked, it seems there’s no shortage of suspects in his murder.

Series 2 (2023)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
5	1	"The Blue Room"	Richard Signy	Glen Laker	28 August 2023 (2023-08-28)
When an art gallery manager is strangled during the robbery of an exhibition, it appears he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But as the team delve into the elite world of Chelsea's art scene, Max soon wonders if the victim was an accomplice.
6	2	"Golden Years"	Richard Signy	Peter Fincham	4 September 2023 (2023-09-04)
A woman at a luxury retirement home dies mysteriously, and with no signs of forced entry, suspicion falls on the staff and residents. But tensions within her family point to another cause, harking back to their time in Apartheid-era South Africa.
7	3	"The Reliable Witness"	Sarah Esdaile	Liz Lake	11 September 2023 (2023-09-11)
The most likely culprit in the murder of a psychotherapist is an ex-patient with a history of erratic behaviour. As the team dig into the therapist's personal life, they uncover disturbing revelations that cast a new light on his killing.
8	4	"A Crime of Passion"	Sarah Esdaile	Laura Poliakoff	18 September 2023 (2023-09-18)
Jack Felton, the charming owner of a fruit and vegetable delivery company, is found stabbed at home in what looks like a frenzied attack. The detectives must unravel romantic jealousies, family conflicts, and business rivalries to nab the killer.

Series 3 (2024–2025)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
9	1	"Everybody Loves Chloe"	Jennie Darnell	Peter Fincham	16 December 2024 (2024-12-16)
During the Christmas season, the detectives must investigate the mysterious death of Chloe Carmichael, a singer found drowned in her home amidst leads that lead to drug dealing and affairs in high places.
10	2	"Deadlock"	Jennie Darnell	Glen Laker	7 April 2025 (2025-04-07)
When a dead body is unearthed, Max and Layla race to identify the victim. Their investigation takes them from a city estate to the US embassy, where powerful forces stand in their way. They must use every trick up their sleeves to catch the killer.
11	3	"Myths and Legends"	Richard Signy	Debbie Oates & Ian Kershaw	14 April 2025 (2025-04-14)
When antiques dealer Niall Hammond is found dead in his shop, Max and Layla are drawn into a puzzling investigation that leads them from a renowned music society to mudlarks combing the Thames' foreshore. The discovery of a rare gold coin worth £1 million points to greed as a possible motive—but as they dig deeper into Niall's personal life, it becomes clear that family tensions and buried secrets may have played a role. To solve the case, Max and Layla must untangle a web of deceit and determine what's genuine—and what's not.
12	4	"For the Greater Good"	Richard Signy	Nicola Wilson & Glen Laker	21 April 2025 (2025-04-21)
A climate scientist is found dead in a stolen car's trunk. As detectives Max and Layla investigate, they uncover possible links to his upcoming conference speech and a complex web of deception.