Filming has begun on the fourth season of the BBC Studios Drama production Sister Boniface Mysteries, a BritBox International and UKTV co-production created by Jude Tindall. The show will also return for another feature-length Christmas special this December, written by Jude Tindall and directed by Paul Gibson.
Lorna Watson is back as TV’s number one Vespa-driving, crime-solving Catholic nun alongside Max Brown as DI Sam Gillespie, Jerry Iwu as DS Felix Livingstone, and Ami Metcalf as WPC Peggy Button.
Season four’s guest stars include Les Dennis (Coronation Street), Katherine Kingsley (The Larkins), Martyn Ellis (Renegade Nell), Mina Anwar (The Sarah Jane Adventures), Ed Birch (The Witcher), and Daniel Laurie (Call the Midwife).
Returning by popular demand, this year’s feature-length festive special features the Great Slaughter Amateur Dramatics Society (GSADS) pantomime. This year, it’s Cinderella, and with the appointment of a celebrity director, the pressure is on to deliver their biggest and best performance yet.
Rehearsals commence, but soon, cast members start dropping like flies. Can Sister Boniface catch the killer before they strike again? Will GSADS give the public the festive theatrical treat they deserve? And, most importantly, can Sam and Felix pull off a polka in a pantomime horse?
Elsewhere in the series, a bucking bronco goes haywire on the set of a game show, a killer scarecrow stalks the streets of Great Slaughter, the Scottish invade, a femme fatale drops to her death in a stunt gone wrong, and to top it all, CC Lowsley (Robert Dawes) has arranged something called “team building.” Meanwhile, Reverend Mother Adrian (Carolyn Pickles) is keeping a secret, one that could tear the Sisters’ lives apart as they know it…
Lorna Watson commented: “It’s brilliant to be back with the gang for series four. I feel very lucky to be part of such a lovely show and can’t wait to get cracking, solving crime in the Cotswolds sunshine.”
Neil Irvine, executive producer at BBC Studios, added: “I’m thrilled that TV’s favorite forensic nun is returning for a fourth series. The alchemy created by Jude, Lorna, and our wonderful cast and Midlands crew continues to delight viewers worldwide. This series sees a serial killer on the loose at the Christmas Pantomime and a threat to the convent itself. I can’t wait for the audience to find out if this is the end for St Vincent’s…”
Robert Schildhouse, President BritBox North America & General Manager BritBox International, said: “Sister Boniface Mysteries is a BritBox staple, and we look forward to sharing a new season of crimes, capers, and Sixties shenanigans with our eager audience.”
Emma Ayech, Channel Director for Drama, UKTV commented: “I’m delighted that Sister Boniface Mysteries is back for another series and a second Christmas special. As one of UKTV’s top-performing titles, its first Christmas special was a huge hit with our audience, and series three, which returned earlier this month to Drama & UKTV Play, continues to captivate viewers. Get ready for more sleuthing fun with our favorite nun – there’s never a dull moment in Great Slaughter!”
BBC Studios Drama Productions makes Sister Boniface Mysteries, a co-production for BritBox International and UKTV. Dawn Coulson-Beckett is the script producer. Neil Irvine is the executive producer for BBC Studios, Stephen Nye and Robert Schildhouse are for BritBox International, and Claire Hookway is for UKTV.
The series was ordered for U&DRAMA by Emma Ayech, channel director, and Emily Hall, global acquisitions executive for UKTV & BBC Studios, completed the deal. BBC Studios handles international distribution.
Filming is taking place in and around the Cotswolds and Sister Boniface Mysteries Series 4 will air next year on BritBox International and on UKTV’s U&Drama in the UK.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.