Katy Cavanagh

I don't think I've ever seen a more impressive cast lined up for a TV comedy than the one Gold has assembled for its special one-off original commission Murder on the Blackpool Express. So I ought to namecheck them, oughtn't I?

There's Johnny Vegas, Sian Gibson (best known for Peter Kay's Car Share), Nigel Havers, Una Stubbs, Griff Rhys Jones, Nina Wadia, Sheila Reid, Kevin Eldon, Mark Heap, Kimberley Nixon, Katy Cavanagh, Matthew Cottle, Susie Blake and Javone Prince. There you have them: some of the best comedic talent from the past half a century or so - and a lot for the scriptwriters and directors to live up to.

Where do you go with that lot? Well, Blackpool, obviously, on a "literary coach tour" with Vegas driving and Gibson as the guide, but also a journey of detective investigation to discover exactly which of the assembled odd bods did for pensioner Marjorie, murdered by means of a dodgy cob with coronation chicken filling. There's one clue for you. Remember: Means, Motive, Opportunity. Enjoy.

Sean O'Grady, The Independent, 11th November 2017

Murder On The Blackpool Express preview

While Murder On The Blackpool Express is probably not an instant classic, the playfulness of its fine cast make it an affable diversion, and a happy slice of family viewing (9.30pm actually seems like too late a slot) that could bear many a bank holiday repeat.

Steve Bennett, Chortle, 11th November 2017