Beyond Paradise viewers thrilled by surprise appearance of Midsomer Murders star

had viewers buzzing for more than one reason in the latest episode, as sharp-eyed fans noticed a familiar face from making an appearance. The surprise "crossover" led to speculation about the role of the actor in question.

Jason Hughes, who is fondly remembered for his portrayal of Sergeant Ben Jones in Midsomer Murders, was a delightful sight for viewers when he graced their screens. He has an impressive record of starring in 53 episodes of the murder mystery series between 2005 and 2013, even making a comeback for a single episode in 2017.

One Midsomer Murders enthusiast took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their excitement. One person wrote: "Guest star: Jason Hughes... Is Inspector Barnaby going to turn up soon to help? Is this a crossover with Midsomer Murders? ? #BeyondParadise." (sic)

Another viewer speculated: "The this life/Midsomer guy Jason hughes is probably the baddie this week. #beyondparadise." (sic)

A third simply commented: "#beyondparadise. Surely 'Jones' will solve it?" (sic)

The synopsis for the recent episode of Beyond Paradise reads: "On the final day of the regatta, rival sailors Francine and Polly are neck and neck for the top spot. However, disaster strikes when Polly collapses and plunges into the sea, throwing the entire race into chaos.

"When it's discovered that Polly's smoothie had been tampered with, all eyes turn to Martha, the smoothie-maker, who finds herself in the spotlight as an unlikely prime suspect. She and Humphrey, already juggling the demands of work and childcare, struggle to stay composed under this new pressure."

Jason isn't the only famous face to guest star in Beyond Paradise this season; he joins an impressive, star-studded line-up that includes Doc Martin's Angela Curran, Silent Witness' Matthew Gravelle, Fool Me Once's Syreeta Kumar, House of the Dragon's Dean Boodaghians-Nolan and Not Going Out's Alexandra Gilbreath.

Meanwhile, the returning cast includes Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman, Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd, Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford, Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd and Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins, reports .

But will the Sergeant Jones actor turn out to be a villain or a friend? We won't spoil Jason's role in tonight's episode for those who have yet to watch it.

Catch up on Beyond Paradise on BBC iPlayer now. The show airs Fridays at 8pm on BBC One.

We won't spoil Jason's role in tonight's episode for those who have yet to watch it.

Catch up on Beyond Paradise on BBC iPlayer now. The show airs Fridays at 8pm on BBC One.