Murder on the Blackpool Express explained

Director:Simon Delaney
Starring:Johnny Vegas
Sian Gibson
Sheila Reid
Una Stubbs
Katy Cavanagh
Nina Wadia
Kimberley Nixon
Nigel Havers
Griff Rhys Jones
Susie Blake
Kevin Eldon
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Producer:Jim Poyser
Runtime:91 minutes

Murder on the Blackpool Express is a 2017 comedy drama television film created by Jason Cook. Starring Johnny Vegas, Sian Gibson, Sheila Reid, Una Stubbs (in her final role), Griff Rhys Jones, Nina Wadia, Nigel Havers, Kimberley Nixon and Kevin Eldon.[1] [2] [3]

Broadcast in 2017, it became Gold's highest-rated show at the time, later rebroadcast on BBC Two.[4]

Synopsis

Old-age pensioners and mystery novel fans are on a budget bus tour to visit all the murder locations in a novel series, led by the books' author. Members of the tour start turning up dead and the police initially discount the deaths as accidents, leaving the tour guests to fend for themselves.[5] [6] The title is a parody of Murder on the Orient Express.[7]

Cast

Production

Locations include "Bartleby Cathedral" (Ascot Priory), a stately home "Clesperley Manor" (Stoke Court),[8] a scenic country park with a cliff: Castle Rock,[9] Nether Alderley, Alderley Edge, United Kingdom and Blackpool: tower, ballroom, seafront.

Sequels and spin-offs

In December 2018, a sequel, Death on the Tyne (a spoof of another Hercule Poirot story by Agatha Christie, 'Death on the Nile'), aired on Gold, followed by a third film titled Dial M for Middlesbrough (a play on Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder) the following year.

In May 2021, Murder They Hope (this time parodying the series Murder She Wrote), a three-part follow-up series, aired on Gold as well.[10] Lee Mack appeared in the last episode as the character Willy Watkins.

Its success prompted the airing of a second series, Murder They Hope Too with Mack reprising his role as Watkins.[11]

A 2023 Christmas Special Blood Actually guest starred Martin Kemp, Peter Davison and Robert Webb.[12]

Episode Guide

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Murder On The Blackpool Express – Gold Comedy . British Comedy Guide.
  2. Web site: 10 July 2017 . Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson star in Murder On The Blackpool Express . British Comedy Guide.
  3. Web site: Morris . Sophie . 10 July 2017 . Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson to star in new murder mystery comedy show .
  4. News: Singh . Anita . 12 July 2023 . A funny comedy film? Well that's something you don't often see on the BBC . Telegraph.co.uk . 31 July 2023.
  5. News: Wright . Jonathan . O'Connell . Sharon . Gibbings-Jones . Mark . Harris . Sophie . Catterall . Ali . Arnold . Ben . Mueller . Andrew . Howlett . Paul . 11 November 2017 . Saturday’s best TV: I Know Who You Are; Murder on the Blackpool Express . The Guardian . 31 July 2023.
  6. News: Bennett . Steve . Murder On The Blackpool Express : Reviews 2017 . en . chortle.co.uk . 31 July 2023.
  7. Web site: Steve . 27 July 2022 . Review: MURDER ON THE BLACKPOOL EXPRESS (2017). . 31 July 2023 . mysteryfile.
  8. Pioneer (GB), Pioneer House, Hollybush Hill, Stoke Poges
  9. Web site: Cook . Jason . Jason Cook (comedian) . Murder On The Blackpool Express, Gold . 30 July 2023 . Broadcast now .co.uk . Media Business Insight Limited . en.
  10. Web site: Murder, They Hope - Gold Comedy . 31 July 2023 . . en.
  11. Web site: Clark . Caren . 18 October 2022 . Murder They Hope season 2: release date, cast, plot and all we know . 31 July 2023 . what to watch .com . en.
  12. Web site: 2023 . Murder, They Hope Blood Actually: A 'Murder, They Hope' Mystery . British Comedy Guide.