ACORN TV AND ZDF GREENLIGHT FOURTH SEASON OF GRITTY CRIME DRAMA, "THE CHELSEA DETECTIVE"

Stars Adrian Scarborough and Vanessa Emme Return in Leading Roles, Investigating Compelling Murder Cases in the Affluent London Borough of Chelsea

Series to Return in 2026 and Production Currently Underway in London

NEW YORK, NY - August 5, 2025 - AMC Networks' popular streamer, Acorn TV, and ZDF today announced a fourth season order from Expectation for the hit British crime drama series, The Chelsea Detective. Filming has commenced in and around London with Adrian Scarborough (Killing Eve, The King's Speech, 1917) and Vanessa Emme (Dublin Murders, Three Families) reprising their roles as Detective Inspector Max Arnold and Detective Sergeant Layla Walsh, respectively. Season 4, consisting of four feature-length episodes (4x90'), will premiere on Acorn TV in 2026.

Season 4 sees DI Max Arnold (Scarborough) and DS Layla Walsh (Emme) return to tackle four new murders within the elite world of Chelsea - a fashion mogul sinking fast in the trappings of her wealth; an aristocratic dynasty guarding their bloodline with brutal devotion; and a wellness and beauty salon owner concealing lethal truths - all falling under the relentless scrutiny of our duo. This season also features a cryptic double-murder that begins in Chelsea and spirals outward, drawing our team into the cut-throat world of architecture. The regular cast return to crack each case and - while a hint of romance is in the air for Max - as ever, the road to justice is anything but smooth.

Additionally, Sophie Stone (Shetland) returns as the brilliant, if occasionally daunting, Chief Forensics Officer Ashley Wilton, Lucy Phelps (Grace) as research and tech queen DC Jess Lombard, Peter Bankolé (Peaky Blinders) as officer DC Connor Pollock, along with Frances Barber (Whitstable Pearl) as Max's Aunt Olivia, full of joie de vivre as ever.

On the renewal, Don Klees, SVP of Programming, Acorn TV, commented: "We are absolutely thrilled to be returning to Chelsea for yet another mystery-packed season of The Chelsea Detective, a true fan favorite among our passionate subscribers. We're excited to be back on the case with the talented Adrian Scarborough and Vanessa Emme as the stakes have never been higher for DI Max Arnold, DS Layla Walsh and their team. The Acorn TV audience is sure to be titillated this season by the slew of baffling new cases in and around Chelsea."

Creator and Executive Producer, Peter Fincham, said: "The Chelsea Detective began during lockdown in a world of social distancing and Covid tests. It's amazing to think that we're about the start filming the fourth series. Max Arnold, Layla Walsh and their colleagues continue to discover different and surprising sides of Chelsea. It's the perfect location for a detective series and there's so much more to come, all thanks to the brilliant team on both sides of the camera."

Ella Kelly, Executive Producer, added: "It's a joy to be back with Adrian, Vanessa, Lucy, Peter and Sophie and the inimitable Frances Barber. It is a glorious collection of people, the cast, the incredible guests, the formidable crew, the writers, Peter, Glen, Liz and directors Richard Signy & Audrey Cooke. We have four knotty murders plus something rather special in store."

The Chelsea Detective, an Acorn TV Original Series, is created and executive produced by Emmy(R) Award-winning Fincham (The Lost Prince, Smack the Pony, I'm Alan Partridge) and produced by Kelly (Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders). Season 4 episodes are written by Fincham, Glen Laker and Liz Lake. The directors are Richard Signy and Audrey Cooke.

The Chelsea Detective is produced by Acorn TV's Acorn Media Enterprises, Germany's ZDF and the BBC Studios invested indie Expectation. Acorn TV, AMC Networks' streaming service, home of compelling international crime dramas and murder mysteries, serves as the exclusive home for the series in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. BBC Studios is handling global sales.

About Acorn TV

AMC Networks' Acorn TV is North America's largest streaming service specializing in premium British and international television. Acorn TV adds exclusive programming every week to a deep library of quirky mysteries, engaging thrillers, and gripping crime dramas - all commercial-free. Acorn TV's recent slate is comprised of acclaimed commissioned and original series including popular UK detective drama Harry Wild (Jane Seymour), Signora Volpe (Emilia Fox), The Chelsea Detective (Adrian Scarborough), New Zealand detective series My Life Is Murder (Lucy Lawless), acclaimed Irish crime thriller Bloodlands (James Nesbitt, co-executive produced by Jed Mercurio), British crime drama Whitstable Pearl (Kerry Godliman), Kiwi romantic comedy Under the Vines (Rebecca Gibney, Charles Edwards) and British detective drama Dalgliesh (Bertie Carvel), to name a few. Current and upcoming Acorn TV Original Series include crime drama Art Detectives (Stephen Moyer), Irish Blood (Alicia Silverstone), Murder Before Evensong (Matthew Lewis), Allie & Andi (Brooke Shields) and many more. The above add to a growing catalog of popular bingeable dramas including Jack Irish (Guy Pearce), Doc Martin (Martin Clunes), Deadwater Fell (David Tennant, Cush Jumbo) and all 24 seasons of fan-favorite Midsomer Murders, among others.    

"...glorious streaming service... an essential must-have" - The Hollywood Reporter 

"Netflix for the Anglophile" - NPR    

Acorn TV is available for $8.99/month or $89.99/year. Facebook: OfficialAcornTV - Twitter: @AcornTV - Instagram: @Acorn_tv 

About Expectation

Expectation launched in February 2017 as a multi-genre, independent production company covering both scripted and non-scripted programming. Led by Peter Fincham and Tim Hincks, Expectation has built an enviable reputation for creating new comedy, drama, factual drama, factual and entertainment programming as well as breaking new and diverse talent and winning multiple awards for its shows. In scripted programming, the team have produced the multi-award-winning series: Alma's Not Normal for BBC Two, In My Skin for BBC Three and BBC Wales, as well as dark comedy drama Guilt (with Happy Tramp) for BBC Two and BBC Scotland. They have also produced two series and a special of international hit, Intelligence for Sky Comedy and The Change, created, written by, and starring the multi award-winning stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Bridget Christie for Channel 4, along with crime drama The Chelsea Detective for Acorn TV and the forthcoming psychological thriller series Malice (a co-production with Tailspin Films) starring David Duchovny, Jack Whitehall and Carice van Houten for Prime Video. Expectation's other shows also include Clarkson's Farm, The Grand Tour and Backstage with Katherine Ryan for Prime Video, The Big Narstie Show (with Dice Productions), The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan (with Momo G), Steph's Packed Lunch (in partnership with Can Can Productions) and I Literally Just Told You for Channel 4, In With A Shout for ITV, Unforgivable for Dave, This is MY House, the forthcoming Home To Roost documenting The Osbournes' return to the UK for BBC One and Katherine Ryan: Parental Guidance for W. Expectation is part of the BBC Studios portfolio of minority invested indie production partners.

About ZDF

ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen) is Germany's national public television broadcaster. It is run as an independent non-profit corporation under the authority of the Länder, the sixteen states that constitute the Federal Republic of Germany.

The nationwide channel ZDF has been broadcasting since 1st April 1963 and remains one of the country's leading sources of information. Today, ZDF also operates the two thematic channels ZDFneo and ZDFinfo. In partnership with other public broadcasters, ZDF jointly operates the internet-only offer funk, the German channels PHOENIX and KiKA, and the European channels 3sat and ARTE.

https://www.zdf.de/zdfunternehmen/factsandfigures-100.html

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with profits (EBITDA) of £226 million on sales of £1.6bn (21/22). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents, with three-quarters of its revenues from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix. Around 2,400 hours of award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com, BBC Studios' global digital news platform, has 139 million unique browser visits each month.

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