Ralf Little has said he didn't really want to leave his role in Death in Paradise.
The actor has played DI Neville Parker in the BBC crime drama for the last four years, the longest-serving lead star in the show's history. But at the end of the most recent series, his character left Saint Marie with DS Florence Cassell.
Little appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning (April 5) to promote an upcoming live podcast tour with his Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps co-star Will Mellor, and he was asked about his Death in Paradise departure.
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He said: "This last series was always going to be my last series. I had talks with the BBC, and with [production company] Red Planet, and we all agreed that it just felt… if it was in my heart, like if it was just a heart decision, I'd have wanted to do it for 20 more years.
"But just for the show, and for my character Neville, it just sort of felt like his story… it deserved to be finished, and his journey deserved to be completed and he deserved a nice happy ending. And so it just felt right."
After his final episode aired, Little said: "My time on Saint Marie has come to an end – what an end! New adventures await Neville, and he got to sail away into the sunset with his best friend.
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"It's been one of the most magical and profound experiences of my entire life.
"The team that makes Death in Paradise – the producers, writers, directors, crew, guest cast, and my magnificent co-stars – they know what they're doing, and the future is in good hands. I can't wait to see what happens next. It’s been the ride of a lifetime."
Speculation about who might replace Little as the lead detective in Death in Paradise is ongoing, and new casting will be revealed in due course.
While the show will return for a feature-length Christmas special followed by a new series in 2025, spin-off Beyond Paradise, which brings back Kris Marshall's detective Humphrey Goodman, is currently airing its second series on BBC One.
Death in Paradise and its spin-off Beyond Paradise both air on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.
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After studying for an English degree at the University of Exeter, Erin completed a PPA-accredited Masters in Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. She recently joined the team at Digital Spy, writing across both news and features.
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