Death in Paradise first appeared on our screens in 2011, and since then it has seen a huge cast turnover, with almost none of the original stars still in the show. Although this can be very much a good thing since the series has always been evolving and keeping viewers wanting more, it doesn't mean we weren't disappointed to see many of our favourite characters go! Find out the most surprising cast changes from the series here…
Ralf Little
Ralf Little handed in his detective badge after four and a half years of playing DI Neville Parker. The actor's departure was revealed at the end of series 13, when Neville sailed off into the sunset with DS Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert).
Explaining why he chose to leave the show, Ralf explained that he felt Neville's story had come to an end. "You know, this last series was always going to be my last series. I spoke to the BBC and Red Planet, the production company, and we all agreed," he said during an appearance on ITV's Lorraine.
© BBC"If it was just a heart decision I would 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 was finished and his journey deserved to be completed. He deserved a happy ending and it just felt right."
Tahj Miles
Tahj Miles left the show in series 13 when his character Marlon Pryce decided to leave Saint Marie for Jamaica, where his sister Jocelyn had been offered a scholarship at a prestigious school.
Tahj, who starred in the show since 2021, hasn't said much about the reasons for his exit. Taking to social media after his final episode aired, the actor penned: "It's been real people, Marlon out."
© Red Planet Pictures/Denis GuyenonBen Miller
Ben Miller was the main lead as DI Richard Poole when the show premiered back in 2011 and bowed out after two seasons when "personal circumstances… made it too complicated". Chatting to Radio Times back in 2014, he explained: "I arrived out here for the first series and within a few weeks my wife Jessica discovered she was pregnant.
"That threw everything because it meant she couldn't come and visit me for the six months I was out here. During the second series, my son Sonny was starting school – your first year of school is so important – and I did think about him coming over here but I'm divorced from his mum, and it wasn't very practical. Then when I came back, I picked up my baby son Harrison and he started crying because he didn't know who I was. My personal circumstances just made it too complicated, but I will miss it like a lung. I love it here."
The star did return for a brief cameo in season ten, however, and fans are hoping he might consider returning for another cameo in future.
Josephine Jobert
Season eight of Death in Paradise shocked fans after Josephine Jobert's character Florence Cassell left the island following a dramatic turn of events. In her final episode, Florence was shot while following her fiancé, Patrice, who was killed. Although she recovered from her injury, Florence was unable to stay on the island with the memory of her love, and so left to go travelling.
© Red Planet Pictures/Denis GuyenonJosephine opened up about leaving the show herself, explaining: "Just a message to just say thank you and goodbye. For those who watched episode six, you now know I'm leaving Death in Paradise. I quit the show for personal and professional reasons - nothing dramatic I swear! Everything is fine it's just that I've been working on Death in Paradise for five years... I loved every minute, every minute of it. I'm going to miss the show, I'm going to miss Toby and Ardal and Shyko and everyone so it's been a tough decision, but that's life."
While Josephine later returned to Death in Paradise for series ten, she decided to leave once more, departing midway through season 11. Chatting to HELLO!, she explained: "I already left in series eight, I thought it would be for good, honestly, I thought, 'I'm done.' Then they asked me back for series ten as I was like, 'Hmmm I don’t know, okay I'm going to do it.' But I knew it wouldn't be forever, I knew it. How long, I didn't know. I had an idea but I wasn't sure."
She continued: "Series ten was so good and we ended the series on a big cliffhanger between Neville and Florence, but I couldn't not come back, it would have been unfair… but I knew it would be just four episodes, to finish the story between the two characters and to be fair to the audience and respect them and that they follow the series… I couldn't just leave like that!"
The actress returned for a final time in series 13, before Florence and Neville left Saint Marie together.
Kris Marshall
Kris Marshall played Humphrey Goodman between seasons three and six but ultimately quit the show when his young children began to start school, meaning that it would have been more difficult to take them to the Caribbean for filming every six months.
He told Radio Times: "Every year except last year we took Thomas out with us. The only reason they didn't come out last year was because my daughter was born and she was only three months old when filming started. Thomas has basically spent half his life in the Caribbean. Every year he went to the same nursery in Guadeloupe. But now it's time for him to put on scholastic shackles and toe the line."
© Red Planet Pictures/Joss Barratt/BBCKris has since returned as DI Humphrey Goodman in the Death in Paradise spin-off, titled Beyond Paradise, which follows the detective and his fiancée Martha Lloyd as they embark on their new life in the idyllic coastal town of Shipton Abbott in Devon.
Ardal O'Hanlon
Ardal announced that he was leaving the show after series nine, four years after taking on the role of DI Jack Mooney. In a statement released in early October, he said: "I've spent the last four summers in Guadeloupe playing DI Jack Mooney (solving over 20 murder cases in my time there!)
© Photo: BBC"It's been a hugely rewarding and unforgettable experience, working with incredibly talented actors, directors and crew while discovering a magical part of the world. However, it's time to move on and explore other opportunities - preferably nearer the Arctic Circle. I'm confident that Death in Paradise will go from strength to strength and viewers will share my enthusiasm for Jack’s successor!"
Speaking about whether he'd ever return to the series to HELLO!, he explained: "I can say definitely not, I really feel a real sense of closure as an actor, but also as a person, a real sense of completion."
Aude Legastelois-Bidé
BBC bosses confirmed that Aude would be leaving the show ahead of season ten after two seasons starring as DS Madeleine Dumas. The statement reads: "DS Madeleine Dumas will also be departing Saint Marie’s sunny shores and we would like to thank [them] for bringing Ruby and Madeleine to life and wish them all the very best for the future."
Danny John-Jules
Danny was the most constant thing about Death in Paradise, having appeared in it since it began in 2011. However, the Strictly star, who played Officer Dwayne Myers, wanted to leave so he could go to performing in theatre.
© BBC/Red Planet Pictures/Denis GuyenonHe told TV Times: "I left Death in Paradise because I wanted to get back on stage. I needed a bit more razzmatazz in my life, and then along came Strictly! I haven't done a [stage] show for more than 20 years, so this is as close as I'm going to get to doing the jazz hands again. I've also been working on my one-man show about Sammy Davis Jnr, that's why I'm always wearing a bowler hat!" In the show, it was explained that Dwayne was away boating with his father – lucky for some!
The actor made a surprise return in series 13, when his character turned up to support his former police team following the departure of Marlon Pryce.
Sara Martins
Sara Martins played DS Camille Bordey in the first four series of the show and departed the series just one episode after Ben's exit with her character moving to Paris. Speaking about her departure to What's On TV, she explained: "I’ve loved everything about the show. But the only way to grow in life is to take risks, even if it means losing something you love, or leaving a place that’s comfortable. You should always go forward and take new challenges. The unknown is so seducing, although it's scary!"
Much like her co-star Ben Miller, Sara briefly returned to the show for season ten, and fans couldn't have been more excited to see Camille back in Guadeloupe.
Gary Carr
Gary Carr played Fidel Best for the first three seasons of the show before moving on. Although he hasn't opened up about his decisions behind exiting the show, Kris Marshall told Digital Spy: "I understand where he is coming from.
© Photo: Getty Images"I was just the same when I was younger. He wants to move on." But what about his character? In the season four opener, it was explained that Fidel had left St Marie after being promoted and moving to St Lucia.
Shyko Amos
Sadly, BBC bosses confirmed that Shyko's character Ruby wouldn't be returning ahead of season ten in a statement which read: "After two series bringing law, order, and joy to the streets of Saint Marie, we’re sad to say goodbye to Ruby Patterson who made such a massive impact in such a short time!"
© Photo: BBC
