Behind the scenes on Death In Paradise - everything Ralf Little's replacement needs to know
Starring in Death in Paradise sounds like the best job in the world, with the actors getting to film on the beautiful golden sands of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean sunshine. However, with four stars now having left the show – Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O’Hanlon and most recently Ralf Little – it is clear that filming the tropical series may not be quite as glamorous as it seems.
As fans speculate who will be next to take on the role of a British police officer relocating to the fictional island of Saint Marie, perhaps any potential Death in Paradise leading actors should take note of what challenges they may face should they accept the part.
The most off-putting aspect of filming Death in Paradise is that the main cast members are filming out in Guadeloupe for half the year, away from their homes and families in the UK, while the crew are based there for even longer - usually 10 months.
After Kris announced he was leaving the show after four series, he explained to Radio Times that being 4000 miles away from home for six months or more at a time was just too much of a commitment. When he joined the cast his son Thomas was a baby, but by the time he chose to leave Thomas had reached school age and Marshall and his wife also had a baby daughter, Elsie, to consider.
“When I was offered the job my son was six months old and my wife wasn’t working, so it was a very easy decision,” he said. “We decided I would do Death in Paradise for a few years before it became impractical.”
Kris' replacement, Ardal, hinted that the weather may be another reason to quit when he announced his own departure from the show in 2020.
“It’s time to move on and explore other opportunities – preferably nearer the Arctic Circle,” he said at the time, and it is likely it wasn’t just the hot sunshine he wanted to get away from. During his time on the island, filming on the show had to be halted due to the arrival of Hurricane Irma in September 2017.
Back then, a spokesperson for the series told Metro: “The safety of the cast and crew remains paramount and the Death in Paradise team are in constant contact with the local authorities. Filming has been suspended until we are advised it is safe to continue.”
Production was paused and there was a second threat from Hurricane Maria just two weeks later before filming finally resumed.
It's not all bad, of course. The cast and crew have somewhere nice to stay when they are filming – or sheltering from the unpredictable weather. They are all based at the Langley Fort Royal Hotel near Deshaies, a pretty resort facing the sea that has a pool, tennis courts, a library, a sail and surf centre and even a massage hut on the beach.
It likely appeals to the numerous well known faces, from Martin Compston and Hayley Mills to Patsy Kensit and Lisa Faulkner, who have popped over to Guadeloupe for a quick visit to film guest roles in the series, too.
“I don’t think many of the guest cast need persuading,” executive producer Tim Key told Radio Times in March this year. “They are very happy to come and join us and they have a good time. They are usually here between a week and a fortnight and we work them quite hard. But obviously there are days when they are less busy and can enjoy the sunshine!"
