The Chelsea Detective
| The Chelsea Detective | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Peter Fincham |
| Starring |
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| Composer | Ian Arber |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Production company | Expectation Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | Acorn TV |
| Release | 7 February 2022 – present |
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][3]
Premise
London's Chelsea neighbourhood is a beautiful borough for beautiful people, but it has a dark underside of deception, violence, greed and murder. Bodies have a way of showing up, and things are rarely what they seem. The story follows Detective Inspector Max Arnold and his partner as they investigate these murders.[4]
Cast
- Adrian Scarborough as DI Max Arnold
- Sonita Henry as DS Priya Shamsie (Series 1)
- Vanessa Emme as DS Layla Walsh (Series 2-present)
- Peter Bankolé as DC Connor Pollock
- Lucy Phelps as DC Jess Lombard
- Sophie Leigh Stone as Ashley Wilton, Chief Forensics Officer
- Anamaria Marinca as Astrid Fischer, Max's Ex-Wife
- Frances Barber as Olivia Arnold, Max's Aunt
Setting
Action in the series is routinely focused on the Chelsea area of London and references are commonly made to Chelsea landmarks such as
Brompton Cemetery was also the setting for one episode.
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 | |
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Stonemason Andrew Knightley is pushed under a London Underground train during the morning rush hour. DI Max Arnold and his partner, DS Priya Shamsie, 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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 (2024/25)
| 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 | |
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During the Christmas season, the detectives must investigate the mysterious death of Chloe Carmichael, a singer found drowned in her home, amidst leads uncovering drug dealings and affairs in high places. | ||||||
| 10 | 2 | "Deadlock" | Jennie Darnell | Glen Laker | 7 April 2025 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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A climate scientist is found dead in a stolen car's boot. As detectives Max and Layla investigate, they uncover possible links to his upcoming conference speech and a complex web of deception. | ||||||
Format Length
Note that for some broadcasts, the 88 minute episodes were each split into two 45 minute episodes, with their own opening titles and end credits. This is the case with the UK streaming service U, which has the first two series in its catalog, each with 8 x 45 minute episodes. Meanwhile, Acorn has the same series in their original format.
References
- ^ "The Chelsea Detective Renewed For Season 3 at Acorn TV".
- ^ "The Chelsea Detective: Filming Has Started for Season 4 of Fan-Favorite Mystery Series – The British TV Place". www.soapcentral.com/. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Will The Chelsea Detective Season 4 happen? Acorn TV shares a major update about the crime drama". thebritishtvplace.com. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ^ "The Chelsea Detective | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2026-02-13.