St. Marie Hiring a New DCI as Ralf Little Exits 'Death in Paradise'

The curse of St. Marie has struck again, and Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) will pull the "Help Wanted" sign back off the shelf and hang it up on the door of the island's only police station once more. Despite becoming the longest-serving DCI in Death in Paradise's nearly 15-year history, and celebrating the series' 100th episode, Season 13 will be Neville Parker's last on the island, as lead actor Ralf Little makes it official that he's exiting the program after five full seasons.

For those who have not seen the Season 13 finale (which, for American viewers, arrives on BritBox on Thursday, April 4, 2024), we will not spoil why Parker exits the island, but suffice it to say that it does have something to do with the ongoing will-they-or-won't-they with DS Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert). What matters here is that, despite Little's commendable commitment to the program, the extremely rough shooting schedule that requires the actor involved to be away from home for months at a time in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe has become too much once again, and it's time for another detective to take the reigns of one of the BBC's most popular programs.

Tim Key, Executive Producer for Death in Paradise's Red Planet Pictures, said: “Joining a successful show like Death in Paradise as the lead is a daunting and risky prospect, but Ralf’s confidence and talent shone through from day one and the audience response to Neville and his journey has been amazing. I can’t thank Ralf enough for everything he has brought to the show, on and off screen, and wish him all the very best for the future.”

Death in Paradise is already greenlit through Season 14, holiday specials included, which means a Festive Special and new season will film later this spring/summer slated to air in December/early 2025. It also means a new detective will arrive just in time for the holidays. It will mark the first time a detective will come aboard at the very start of a new season instead of partway into the season. (Kris Marshall began his run as DI Goodman in Season 3, Episode 2, after original lead Ben Miller was killed off in the Season 3 premiere; his replacement, DI Mooney (Ardal O'Hanlon), came on halfway through Season 6 and left halfway through Season 9 when Little began his run as Parker.)

While the new lead will be unveiled in due course, fans can at least expect the show's two mainstays, Warrington as Patterson and Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey, to be back, plus Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas, and of course, everyone's favorite, Detective Lizard Harry. Though the series' fate beyond Season 14 is still to be determined, chances are the new lead will probably be asked to sign on for multiple seasons from the jump, allowing the BBC to renew the show at least through Season 16 or 17. 

Death in Paradise Season 13 continues on BritBox, with the final two episodes debuting on Thursdays through April 4, 2024. Death in Paradise's Festive Special is expected out on both sides of the pond in December 2024 and Season 14 in early 2025.