Acorn TV and ZDF Greenlight Fourth Season of Gritty Crime Drama, “The Chelsea Detective”

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 (4×90′), 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® 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.

	The Chelsea Detective
	Network: Acorn TVGenre: CrimeSeasons: 3Episodes: 12
	Overview Detective Inspector Max Arnold lives on a battered houseboat at the end of Cheyne Walk after separating from his art dealer wife Astrid. The son of a local bookshop owner, Max is a far cry from the affluent elite whose crimes he'll help solve along with D.C. Priya Shamsie.