Ardal O’Hanlon was a firm favourite on Death in Paradise as DI Jack Mooney before leaving in 2020
Death in Paradise’s ‘best’ detective makes brutal swipe at BBC show after exit(Image: BBC)
Death in Paradise star Ardal O’Hanlon has taken a savage swipe at the show, three years after his exit.
The actor portrayed DI Jack Mooney in the popular BBC crime drama, after joining in 2017. And during his stint, he became a firm favourite with fans, who often dubbed him the programme’s ‘best’ detective.
However, in 2020, Ardal left the cherished Caribbean-set show after three years. During his appearance on The One Show this week, the Irish star reflected on his time on the programme.
Revealing how filming Death in Paradise inspired his new book, A Plot to Die For, Ardal said: “I did 24 episodes. It must have been at least 30 murders. I didn’t even have to read the script, I knew who did it.”
Ardal went on: “When I was there I was always trying to dream up imaginative kind of murders.” Although he then said he “loves” the show, Ardal made a savage swipe at it’s storylines.
“But you would be thinking to yourself, ‘have we not done this plot before?’ You know, someone falling off a balcony again!” as his co-stars and show hosts laughed along with him.
Ardal was previously asked whether Jack Mooney leaving the show was a mutual decision. He told the Mirror: “From day one, it was always going to be like three series.
“As it turned out, I ended up doing part of a fourth series as well, before the handover to Ralf Little’s character [Neville Parker]. So to be honest with you, like you just wouldn’t be fit to do any more than that.”
He added: “It’s very gruelling, and you’re away from home for a very long time. So, you know, that was always the plan, and there was really very little that was going to change my mind about that.”
Ardal also went on to say that he believes the reason for the show’s success is the constant rotation of detectives. He stated: “I think the secret of the show’s success is constantly changing the lead detective, you know, before people get bored with them.”
What’s more, despite enduring “very harsh” weather conditions during filming of the show, Ardal branded the experience a “lovely job to do”.
Death in Paradise airs on BBC One and iPlayer