Return to Paradise

Joséphine Jobert and Ralf Little are back in Saint Marie as Death in Paradise celebrates 10 years on screen

- STEVEN PERKINS, ALISON SLADE

NEW CRIME DRAMA

Death in Paradise

Thursday, BBC1 HD, 9pm

In any normal year, Death in Paradise is one of the most sought after gigs on television. What actor wouldn’t jump at the chance of enjoying the sun in the Caribbean while working on one of TV’s most enduringly popular dramas?

But, of course, 2020 wasn’t a normal year, and the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant complications for Death in Paradise, as just getting the cast and crew out to Guadeloupe became harder than ever.

However, with the same determination as the Honoré Police in pursuit of a prime suspect, the production team were determined to make sure the series returned to our screens on time.

‘At first, we didn’t know if we’d be able to film,’ says executive producer Tim Key. ‘But we haven’t compromised one thing creatively, which I’m really pleased about – so everything you’re going to see on screen is exactly what we intended to do. It’s the 10th year, which is a huge milestone, and we’re delighted to have made it that far.’

The series also sees DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert) come back to help DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) investigate a variety of crimes, beginning with a suspicious case in this week’s opening episode when a TV reporter (Eleanor Fanyinka) is found dead in her pool.