Benidorm’s tenth series details revealed

ITV’s sunshine comedy Benidorm returned to the channel last night for its ninth series and today the broadcaster has revealed more about the forthcoming series ten.

“When I wrote the first script of Benidorm I had no idea it would change my life so dramatically over the next ten years. As I put the finishing touches to the 74th episode I am so grateful to our fans and to ITV for giving Benidorm the best possible home we could hope for. Here’s to the next decade!” – Show creator, writer and exec producer Derren Litten

The holiday-set sitcom, like old Yorkshire Television sitcom Duty Free, but with more laughs, has been commissioned for a tenth series on ITV, which goes into production on location in Benidorm this month and will air 2018 on the channel. The return of the show last night saw it win the timeslot, peaking at 4.9 million.

First screened in 2007 in a 30-minute format, the show has grown to be hugely popular with ITV viewers and has been BAFTA nominated and won numerous TV awards over the years including two National TV Awards.

The tenth run will see legendary comedy pairing Hale & Pace join the series as undercover detectives investigating Tim Healy’s character Les/Lesley, who returns to the series full time.

ITV have revealed some of the forthcoming events in the new production including the return of Shane Richie who over four episodes reprises his role as lively entertainer Sammy Valentino and John Challis becomes a series regular with his character Monty Staines.

Fan favourites returning include Joyce Temple Savage (Sherrie Hewson), Mateo (Jake Canuso), Noreen (Elsie Kelly), Pauline (Selina Griffiths), Liam (Adam Gillen), Kenneth (Tony Maudsley), Sam (Shelley Longworth), Joey (Nathan Bryon) and Jacqueline (Janine Duvitski) as well as The Dawsons (Julie Graham, Steve Edge, Kate Fitzgerald, Bobby Knutt and Josh Bolt) all return with Billy and Sheron celebrating their silver wedding anniversary.

Troy (Paul Bazely), The Oracle (Johnny Vegas) and Tiger (Danny Walters) won’t however appear in the 2018 aired series.

“Benidorm is very much part of the ITV family with viewers taking these wonderful characters to their hearts. Show creator, writer and exec producer Derren Litten has some great plans for the tenth series and it’s a real treat to welcome Hale & Pace and Shane Richie to the Solana resort.” – Saskia Schuster, ITV’s Comedy Commissioner

Pictured Top: the 2017 Benidorm cast, Pictured Middle: Tim Healy as Les/Lesley and Pictured Bottom: Sherrie Hewson as Joyce Temple Savage