Dalgliesh returns to Channel 5 this week for a third season following its double renewal back in 2022. Filming once again took place in Northern Ireland and some huge guest stars are joining the new series.
The new season is made up of six episodes in total, split up into three adaptations of PD James's novels. Death in Holy Orders is the first story, which will see the title character travelling to a remote seminary where a body has been found following a gruesome murder.
The second story, Cover Her Face, will see the detective investigating a murder in the Essex home of a wealthy family with connections to the British government. The final tale, called Devices and Desires, will see Dalgliesh head out on an urgent mission to investigate a terrorist plot against a nuclear power station in Kent.
Death in Holy Orders is set in West Sussex in 1979 and the synopsis reads: "The residents of St Anselm's Seminary are disgruntled by the arrival of their new trustee, Archdeacon Matthew Crampton. He is on a crusade to modernise the seminary by selling of its valuable assets - including The Doom, a magnificent altarpiece.
"Next morning, following a bitter argument in church, Crampton is found dead at the altar, so Commander Dalgliesh and DS Tarrant are called in to investigate."
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When is Dalgliesh season 3 out?
Each of the three episodes will air across two consecutive days each week, with the full episode schedule as follows:
Death in Holy Orders - December 5 and December 6
Cover Her Face - December 12 and December 13
Devices and Desires - December 19 and December 20
Each of the episodes will air at 9pm and are an hour long.
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Who is in Dalgliesh season 3?
Bertie Carvel returns as the title character and the 47-year-old British film and theatre actor is otherrwise known for his roles in Doctor Foster and The Sister.
He explained how he used the character to help process the death of his mother, telling Radio Times: "Just before we shot Dalgliesh, my mother died and I definitely derived something therapeutic from accessing that.
"I’ve often thought whether or not that was a selfish thing to do. Did it serve the thing or was it using "It" for my own ends? If you’re making a story about somebody in pain and you’re processing your pain as part of that, and if it can be helpful for the audience to witness that authentic pain and recognise it, and their own, then it’s not self-indulgent, it’s therapeutic."
Alistair Brammer portrays Dalgliesh's sidekick DS Daniel Tarrant and the 36-year-old star has a musical theatre background.
Phoebe Nicholls, 67, portrays Agatha Betteron and she is known for her roles in Downton Abbey and Eric.
Anton Lesser, 72, plays John Betteron and he is otherwise known for his roles in Game of Thrones and Endeavour.
Claire Goose, 49, stars as Dr Emma Lavenham and she previously played Tina Seabrook in Casualty.
Richard Lintern, 62, stars as Father Sebastian and he is otherwise known for his role in Silent Witness.
Lloyd Owen, 58, plays George Gregory and he is known for his role in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
Other guest stars include Charlie Cain, Andrew Havill, Michael Jenn, Lloyd James, Phoebe Sparrow and Benjamin Cawley.
Dalgliesh airs on Channel 5 this Thursday at 9pm
