BEYOND PARADISE STAR UNDERGOES TRANSFORMATION AS THEY LAND NEW ROLE AWAY FROM SERIES

Beyond Paradise star Zahra Ahmadi has bagged a new role that's a far cry from her character Esther Williams in the BBC series.

The actress will be seen as Mehreen Askari-Evans, an intelligence operative, sharing screen space with Endeavour star Shaun Evans and Romola Garai. The four-part series is set in the world of MI5 and explores the complex web of human relationships, where loyalty and deception are at odds.

Zahra's look for this role is a stark contrast to her character in Beyond Paradise, as revealed in the first-look images, where she sports blonde highlights and dark eye makeup.

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In the Death in Paradise spin-off, where she shares the limelight with lead detective Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), her character, Esther, opts for a more natural and understated appearance.

The synopsis for the upcoming ITV series hints, "At the heart of the story is John Hughes (Shaun Evans), a mid-career MI5 officer navigating a rapidly evolving intelligence landscape while struggling to keep his personal life intact," reports the Express.

"Acting on a hunch, John meets a British-Iranian man with links to the Stockport gangland who claims to have intelligence about an imminent plot on UK soil.

"When the encounter takes an unexpected turn, John finds himself under internal investigation, facing scrutiny from his superiors, including Simone Grant (Nikki Amuka-Bird), while his partner Claire (Romola Garai) grapples with the secrecy that defines his world."

It goes on to reveal: "John's efforts to save his marriage are complicated by his inability to let the case go. And when he meets Mehreen Askari-Evans (Zahra Ahmadi), an intelligence operative who is tasked with taking over John's duties, he finds an unlikely ally.

"As John becomes increasingly convinced of the involvement of a hardline faction of the Iranian regime, he also starts to worry that there are enemies closer to home. But can he identify the target and avert the attack before it's too late?"

The ITV drama is scheduled to broadcast in 2026, though an exact transmission date remains unconfirmed.

Zahra's latest project follows the announcement that Beyond Paradise will return later this month with a festive special.

Esther and Humphrey are set to tackle another puzzling case in Shipton Abbott.

The duo will be accompanied by regular cast members Sally Bretton, portraying Martha Lloyd, and Barbara Flynn, who takes on the role of her mum, Anne Lloyd.

2025-12-04T12:58:36Z