Channel 5 Drama Series 'The Good Ship Murder' Filmed on MSC Virtuosa

04 October 2023

The Good Ship Murder

This blog is updated each time a new series of this programme is announced. Check back here for more information.

In 2023, Channel 5 unveiled a new thrilling mystery drama series, The Good Ship Murder. Highly anticipated, it followed former detective turned cruise singer, Jack Grayling and First Officer Kate Woods who investigated a spate of murders whilst sailing aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Filmed aboard the extraordinary MSC Virtuosa, the series was shot across six weeks whilst passengers were onboard.

Claire Sweeney, who plays Beverley Carnell on The Good Ship Murder said the following about season 1:

"Every week we’d dock at Southampton to get a different group of passengers on, so we didn’t have professional extras in the show – we used the passengers, and they loved it".

MSC Virtuosa is an impressive cruise ship, with a capacity of 6,334 guests. Throughout the series you'll see different parts of the ship (including the MSC Yacht Club and the Carousel Lounge), giving you a taste of what it's like to experience a Mediterranean cruise aboard.

Antonio Paradiso, MSC Cruises’ UK & Ireland Managing Director, said:

“This new series with Channel 5 will bring the magnificence of MSC Virtuosa into living rooms across the country, giving viewers an inside look into life onboard one of our world-class ships. The audience will not only be captivated by the thrilling storyline of The Good Ship Murder but the impressive and innovative array of features guests of all ages enjoy.”

What Happened in The Good Ship Murder Season 1?

The plot itself began with Jack having to go back to his detective roots, taking viewers on a journey through the battle that he had to face between delivering show stopping performances onboard and solving a wave of murders that occurred throughout the voyage. With Kate by his side, who had to pause her dream of commanding the luxury cruise ship, The Good Ship Murder season 1 is fast paced, clever and intriguing throughout, and was a hit with drama, mystery and thriller enthusiasts.

Sun-soaked holiday destinations, rivalries and mysterious encounters ensued as the series continued throughout 8 nail-biting episodes as viewers were taken to a new location with a new murder case waiting to be solved by Jack and Kate. Alongside the hair-raising murders that occured in each episode, viewers also learnt the intriguing reason behind why Jack has changed his career so suddenly.

Although life on the cruise ship initially seemed glamorous and opulent, the darkness that was hidden below the surface was slowly revealed as the first passenger was found murdered at the first port of call.

Who is in The Good Ship Murder Cast?

The Good Ship Murder stars a whole host of TV favourites, including Shayne Ward (G-Loc) as Jack Grayling and Catherine Tyldesley (Viewpoint, Scarborough) as First Officer Kate Woods, who are both primarily known for appearing on the long-running popular series, Coronation Street. Claire Sweeney, Geoffrey Breton and Nikolai Tsnakov also star in the series.

Formerly called HMS Murder, The Good Ship Murder is produced by Clapperboard Studios in association with Fifth Season. Managing Director at the production house, Mike Benson, commented the following about the series:

“As our most ambitious series to date, finding the right cast was absolutely key so securing Shayne and Catherine has been the perfect complement to the amazing scripts written by Paul Mayhew Thompson and his team of writers. We’ve filmed across eight countries and Shayne has given some unmissable performances; we can’t wait to share this wonderful series”

Where can I watch The Good Ship Murder Season 1?

If you want to watch season 1 of The Good Ship Murder, you'll be pleased to know that this Channel 5 show is available on My5 – Channel 5's streaming platform – free of charge! Each episode of The Good Ship Murder is an hour long and you can expect to see destinations like Valencia, Barcelona, Le Havre, and Lisbon among those featured.

The Good Ship Murder Season 2

Exciting news! Channel 5 have announced a second season of The Good Ship Murder, which is set to premiere on the channel on January 17th 2025 at 9pm. Similarly to season 1, this will be filmed onboard MSC Virtuosa, and will no doubt feature more mysteries, murders and spine-chilling twists along the way. Starting off with a murder investigation in Rome, before heading to Gran Canaria, Gozo, Madeira, Alexandria, Cannes and Athens, this 8-part series is guaranteed to be as thrilling as the previous one.

Season 2 will also be available on My5.

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Check out our other blogs about TV shows featuring cruise ships here: