Cliff Notes – Kris Marshall to return as beloved TV detective as BBC spin-off resumes filming
- Kris Marshall will reprise his role as DI Humphrey Goodman in the fourth series of Beyond Paradise, following his character’s transition from Saint Marie to Devon.
- Filming for the new series has commenced in Cornwall, with locations including St. Mellion Golf Club and East and West Looe, as confirmed by fan posts.
- Marshall has defended the show’s significance, highlighting its role in uniting families and providing a light-hearted escape in a serious world.
Kris Marshall to return as beloved TV detective as BBC spin-off resumes filming
Beyond Paradise will return for its fourth series (Picture: BBC)
Actor Kris Marshall is set to reprise his role as DI Humphrey Goodman in the popular BBC crime drama Beyond Paradise.
The star, 52, plays detective Humphrey in the hit Death In Paradise spin-off, where it follows his life in the sleepy Devon town of Shipton Abbott with fiancée Martha (Sally Bretton).
Humphrey made the move back to England after three years in idyllic Saint Marie, where he has been for the past three years.
Filmed in Cornwall, Beyond Paradise is primarily shot in the coastal town of Looe Guildhall, as well as other locations in picturesque Devon.
The third series ended on a bittersweet note as Humphrey and Martha bade farewell to foster daughter Rosie.
Production has now begun on the show’s fourth series, with Kris once again stepping into the shoes of the small-town detective.
Sally Bretton and Kris Marshall star in Beyond Paradise (Picture: BBC)
After sunning it up in the Caribbean, DI Humphrey and fiancée Martha relocated to picturesque Devon (Picture: BBC)
Fans of the show have confirmed that filming has begun on Series Four, with users of a fan page posting images from behind the scenes.
As reported by The Express, one of these snaps shows a sign which reads ‘BP Unit.’
This is accompanied by the caption ‘Back filming in Cornwall.’
Viewers in the comments identified the location as St. Mellion Golf Club and Estate, where the production is believed to store their trailers and lorries for filming.
Filming has reportedly begun on Series Four (Picture: BBC)
Another fan page reportedly shared a notice from the production company, informing residents when and where filming would take place.
Explaining that it would take place ‘in and around East and West Looe,’ the sign informed readers that: ‘the events will be recorded and may form part of a television programme.’
It added that those who enter will consent to being recorded, adding: ‘we hope this will not inconvenience your visit.’
Humphrey and Martha met in Death In Paradise’s fifth series (Picture: BBC)
Kris took over as DI Humphrey as the second lead of the long-running BBC One crime drama, taking over from departing Ben Miller who had played DI Richard Poole for the first two series.
After starring in the show for three series, Kris was replaced by Father Ted star Ardal O’Hanlon, who stayed on full-time once Humphrey returned to The UK.
Ardal was then succeeded by The Royle Family actor Ralf Little, who played DI Neville Parker for the last five years.
The latest actor to carry the baton is Eastenders star Don Gilet, who first appeared in the show’s 2024 Christmas special and went on to lead its 14th series.
Don will return as DI Mervin Wilson in the show’s 15th series, likely airing early next year.
Kris has lashed out at fans who described the show as ‘lazy’ (Credit: BBC)
My Family star Kris has previously hit back at critics of his spin-off, explaining of its importance in today’s divided, ‘binary’ world.
‘I have a theory – not a theory, actually, it’s a fact – that to make a show like Death in Paradise or Beyond Paradise, that has a broad demographic, that you can sit down and watch with your kids, that bonds all family members in the room, is incredibly hard to do,’ he told The Radio Times.
‘And to have people scorn it… I’m fine with it now but it bothered me a bit in the past. These shows are hard to make and they bring people together – that’s got to be lauded a little bit, right?’ he continued.
In a very un-Humphrey like flourish, he finished: ‘It’s a show that harks back to a world that we still wish Britain was, a place where the world doesn’t take itself quite so seriously. The world has got too binary. It’s less nuanced. The world today takes itself so f***ing seriously.’
