Death in Paradise season 7: Why is Kris Marshall leaving the BBC series?
DEATH IN PARADISE season 7 will see a new detective DI Jack Mooney played by Ardal O’Hanlon leading the show following the departure of Kris Marshall. But why did he leave the series?
Why is Kris Marshall leaving Death in Paradise?
Kris Marshall announced last year that he would be exiting Death in Paradise as Humphrey Goodman after starring in the BBC crime drama for three years.
The My Family actor, 44, decided to step down from the show due to family commitments and had told producers some time before he made the announcement in February.
Marshall, who lives in Somerset, was required to film Death in Paradise in Guadeloupe for a large part of the year.
The role meant temporarily relocating his whole family for the shoot which he felt was no longer practical.
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Speaking in an interview at the time, he explained: “Every year except last year we took Thomas out with us. The only reason they didn’t come out last year was because my daughter was born and she was only three months old when filming started."
He continued to the Radio Times: “Thomas has basically spent half his life in the Caribbean. Every year he went to the same nursery in Guadeloupe. But now it’s time for him to put on scholastic shackles and toe the line.”
Marshall added: “We decided I would do Death in Paradise for a few years until it became impractical. It was always quite a finite thing. I certainly didn’t hide it from anyone I work with.”
His announcement came a week before his onscreen replacement from the popular programme was revealed.
BBC
We decided I would do Death in Paradise for a few years until it became impractical
There was later speculation in summer last year that Marshall may have left Death in Paradise to become the new Time Lord on Doctor Who or even the companion.
However, Jodie Whittaker was later unveiled as the 13th incarnation of the time traveller while Bradley Walsh was named as one her assistants.
Marshall took over as main detective in Death in Paradise in 2014 after Ben Miller announced he would be leaving after three seasons.
Miller first launched the drama back in 2011 but decided to make an exit after three series as Richard Poole.
BBC
Who will be replacing Kris Marshall on Death in Paradise?
Father Ted actor Ardal O’Hanlon was revealed as Marshall’s replacement and made his debut in season six as DI Jack Mooney.
The show saw Goodman going to London on a new case and working with Mooney before the latter made the decision to relocate to the Caribbean island of Saint Marie.
Season seven will mark the first full season for O’Hanlon, 52, as his character gets to grips with life on the fictional island.
Reflecting on Mooney, Marshall previously teased: “His character’s a lot more anecdotal, so the way he goes about things is different.
“He’s also been recently widowed – and he has a daughter in her early 20s. So that’s a whole different dynamic.”
BBC
Who will be starring in Death in Paradise season 7?
Joining O’Hanlon on the new season of Death in Paradise will be veteran cast members including Joséphine Jobert as DS Florence Cassell, Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers, Tobi Bakare as Officer JP Hooper, Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson and Elizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey.
Grace Stone will be playing Mooney’s daughter Siobhan.
There will also be a series of guest appearances in this season with the likes of Game of Thrones actor James Faulkner, Harry Richardson and Richard Harrington from Poldark, and Sian Gibson from Carshare turning up.
Death in Paradise airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm.
