The Good Ship Murder

The Good Ship Murder is a British television crime drama series created by Paul Matthew Thompson and Mike Benson, set on a luxury Mediterranean cruise ship. It follows a retired detective-turned cabaret singer solving murders on board.^[1][2] It stars Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley.^[3] The series began broadcast on Channel 5 on 13 October 2023. The programme was renewed for two more series and a Christmas special in 2024.^[4]

The Good Ship Murder
Genre	Crime drama Mystery
Created by	Paul Matthew Thompson Mike Benson
Based on	An idea by Ben Frow
Starring	Shayne Ward Catherine Tyldesley
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	2
No. of episodes	16
Production
Executive producers	Paul Matthew Thompson Mike Benson
Producer	Sandra MacIver
Cinematography	Mark Waters / Evan Barry
Editor	John Phillipson
Running time	42 minutes
Production company	Clapperboard Studios
Original release
Network	Channel 5
Release	13 October 2023 (2023-10-13) – present

Synopsis

Former police detective Jack Grayling finds his old life intruding on his job as a cruise ship singer, when murders begin happening onboard. With the help of the ship's First Officer, Kate Woods, Grayling solves a series of unusual mysteries, against the sunny backdrop of the Mediterranean.

Each episode ends with Jack performing a song in the ship's cabaret lounge.

Cast

• Shayne Ward as Jack Grayling
• Catherine Tyldesley as Kate Woods
• Claire Sweeney as Beverley Carnell (Series 1, Christmas Special 2024)
• Geoffrey Breton as Piers de Vreese
• Zak Douglas as Jamil
• Vincent Paul Ebrahim as Captain Gregory Jameson (Series 1)
• Yuna Shin as Dr Sharon Tan
• James Barriscale as Captain Richard Marlowe (Christmas Special 2024, Series 2)
• Olivia Marie Fearn as Cecile Ray
• Olivia Fenton as Ella Jones
• Stephen Bradley as Evan O'Donnell
• Fergal Coghlan as Charlie York
• Kiza Deen as head of security Frankie Johnson (Series 2)
• Ross Adams as Colin Smallwood (Series 2)
• Bex Smith as Cassie Grainger (Series 2)

Production

The series was filmed onboard a working cruise ship, the MSC Virtuosa, operating out of Southampton.^[5][6] The show is produced by Clapperboard and Fifth Season.^[7] It is the fourth production Clapperboard has produced in Malta within two years.^[8]

MSC Cruises UK & Ireland Managing Director Antonio Paradiso said that the series "will bring the magnificence of MSC Virtuosa into living rooms across the country, giving viewers an inside look into life onboard one of our world-class ships." Channel 5 has hosted a number of programmes about cruises in the same 9PM TV slot, including Cruising with Jane McDonald and The Most Expensive Cruise Ship in the World, about life onboard Seven Seas Explorer.^[9]

Much of the series was filmed in Malta.^[10] It was produced with the support of the government of Malta, through the financial incentives of the Malta Film Commission. Production was "expected to generate around 2.3m euros into the local economy, according to the Malta Film Commission."^[8]

Series overview

Series	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	8		13 October 2023 (2023-10-13)	1 December 2023 (2023-12-01)
Christmas Special (2024)	1		18 December 2024 (2024-12-18)
2	7		10 January 2025 (2025-01-10)	21 February 2025 (2025-02-21)

Episodes

Series 1 (2023)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"La Rochelle"	Steve Hughes	Paul Matthew Thompson	13 October 2023 (2023-10-13)
Former detective turned cruise ship singer Jack Grayling teams up with First Officer Kate Woods to solve a murder in La Rochelle.
2	"Lisbon"	Steve Hughes	Johanne McAndrew	20 October 2023 (2023-10-20)
Jack and Kate set out to discover who was responsible for the death of the husband of the world's number one crime writer.
3	"Casablanca"	Steve Hughes	Lucia Haynes	27 October 2023 (2023-10-27)
In Casablanca, the sun-drenched alleys and markets hide sinister secrets and soon, a charity helping street kids is mired in scandal and a murder has been committed.
4	"Palma"	Steve Hughes	Suzanne Cowie	3 November 2023 (2023-11-03)
In Palma, a dramatic kidnap and ransom demand shatters the party mood ahead of a lavish wedding. Jack and Kate set out to unravel the mystery before it takes a tragic turn.
5	"At Sea"	Steve Hughes	Joe Ainsworth	10 November 2023 (2023-11-10)
Jack and Kate have no shortage of suspects when during a high stakes poker tournament on board their cruise ship, a top player is dealt a deadly hand.
6	"Sicily"	Steve Hughes	Mark Stevenson	17 November 2023 (2023-11-17)
As the cruise ship arrives in Sicily, a deadly family saga unfolds involving a successful businessman, his children and his new wife. When death strikes, was it a Mafia hit or someone closer to home?.
7	"Barcelona"	Steve Hughes	Andrew Bayliss	24 November 2023 (2023-11-24)
Jack and Kate investigate a crime that feels personal after a murderer strikes in the shadow of Barcelona's majestic Sagrada Familia.
8	"Valletta"	Steve Hughes	Jeff Povey	1 December 2023 (2023-12-01)
As the ship stops one last time, a famous singer causes a stir. It's not long before there's a murder in Malta.

Christmas Special (2024)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
9	"Dubrovnik"	Steve Hughes	Jeff Povey	18 December 2024 (2024-12-18)
When the cruise ship's Santa falls ill, the crew must find a replacement to save Christmas. Their search leads them to a comedian named Buddy in Dubrovnik, who seems perfect, but his death threatens to ruin the holiday.

Series 2 (2025)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
10	"Rome"	Steve Hughes	Suzanne Cowie	10 January 2025 (2025-01-10)
Jack is ready to take a bold step in his relationship with Kate, but the arrival of his estranged daughter throws his plans into chaos - alongside his investigation into murder at an opera.
11	"Gran Canaria"	Steve Hughes	Mark Stevenson	17 January 2025 (2025-01-17)
Jack and Kate are still reeling from their fallout in Rome, each trying to suppress their growing feelings. Adding fuel to the fire, Piers steps into his new role as Staff Captain with calculated charm, hoping to rekindle his relationship with Kate.
12	"Madeira"	Steve Hughes	Joe Ainsworth	24 January 2025 (2025-01-24)
Winemaker and vineyard owner Max King is on board, promoting a year of his business. The trip ends in tragedy, when Max is killed, the suspects include his estranged wife, his son, his manager, and the previous owner of the vineyard.
13	"Gozo"	Steve Hughes	Andy Bayliss	31 January 2025 (2025-01-31)
A lavish influencer party on a sun-soaked Gozo beach turns deadly when its host, Tony Tong, is found murdered. Amid the chaos, Jamil is discovered passed out near the scene, making him the prime suspect.
14	"Alexandria"	Steve Hughes	Lucia Hayne	7 February 2025 (2025-02-07)
A pickpocketing ring aboard the ship spirals into murder when one of the culprits is killed. And Jack's recklessness prompts Piers to seize the opportunity to accuse Jack of misconduct.
15	"Côte d'Azur"	Steve Hughes	Rob Kinsman	14 February 2025 (2025-02-14)
The much-anticipated reunion concert from a classic band from yesteryear is jeopardised when the bass-player is shot dead.
16	"Athens"	Steve Hughes	Kat Rose Martin	21 February 2025 (2025-02-21)
A romantic relic becomes the target of a daring robbery, turning a routine museum theft into a deadly encounter that claims an innocent life.

Reception

The i Paper described the show as "not supposed to be a comedy, but Shayne Ward's silly cruise ship murder mystery is sheer ridiculous fun".^[11]