Kris

EXCLUSIVE: Beyond Paradise returns on March 27 with major cast changes as one beloved character has left Shipton Abbott

Beyond Paradise’s leading man, Kris Marshall, has revealed details about a co-star’s departure from the BBC drama. The Death in Paradise spin-off returns on March 27, with Humphrey and his colleagues tackling fresh mysteries in Shipton Abbott. Yet one familiar face will be conspicuously absent from the fourth series.

Detective Humphrey Goodman confronts a devastating choice in the forthcoming episodes after learning he must dismiss a member of staff from the station. The DI also encounters a new superior following news that his former boss, CS Charlie Woods (played by Jade Harrison), had transferred to a different division.

Discussing his co-star’s departure and the necessity of releasing a team member, Kris told Reach PLC exclusively: “I mean, there always has to be some kind of challenge for Humphrey in terms of, because, like I said, you know, otherwise he just wanders around.

“I mean, it’s that paradox, isn’t it, about TV detectives, they’re sort of fish out of water, they don’t really like rules, and yet they exist in one of the most sort of institutional, authoritarian hierarchies, the police force.

“He hates any kind of authority, he hates rules, he hates being told what he has to do, and so it’s thrust upon him, and it literally comes knocking on his door as it does. You know, he really detests that, really dislikes it, and he doesn’t like the pressure.”

When discussing his new superior and recent arrival, portrayed by Vincent Franklin, the Humphrey Goodman star continued, “And it’s held by the fact that, in terms of the storyline, you know, Vincent Franklin, who is just an absolute genius actor playing his sort of nemesis in this,” reports the Express.

“It just adds to that sort of, and he does it with such beautiful greasiness. It’s sort of wonderful. It sort of adds to the pressure for Humphrey, and so it’s a real stress for Humphrey moving forward because he is a kind of, like, bury your head in the sand kind of guy, when it comes to things like that.

“Solving puzzles or crimes or, you know, he’s like a dog with a bone. But, you know, when it comes to sort of real life, he’s like, well, surely if I put my head over here, that will just go away.”

Sally Bretton, who portrays Martha Lloyd, Kris’s on-screen spouse, also revealed details about Martha and Humphrey’s relationship and where the series resumes. The actress explained that residing on a boat was never part of Martha and Humphrey’s original vision.

She revealed, “Martha starts reflecting on, ‘Was this a bit of an unexpected twist anyway? Going to live on the boat as it wasn’t really the plan originally’.

“And maybe now that they’re married and they want to focus a lot on settling a little bit more, and maybe it’s time to start having a look at a house, and I think they want to focus on each other and have all of the fun and everything that they always have done, but they’ve been knocked off center a lot.”

Beyond Paradise is set to return on 27 March at 8pm on BBC One.