Who stars alongside Kris Marshall?
As we wave goodbye to Death in Paradise for another year, it’s time to welcome its spin-off Beyond Paradise to our screens.
The six-episode series picks back up with Kris Marshall’s DI Humphrey Goodman and Sally Bretton’s Martha Lloyd, who have just moved to the coast from London to begin a fresh chapter in their life. The former has joined a new police force while the latter is working on her own exciting professional venture – and there’s plenty going on in their personal lives, too.
The cast also includes a Derry Girls favourite and an Alan Partridge icon, plus each episode will introduce a raft of guest stars, with episode 1 including faces from Netflix’s Sex Education and EastEnders.
Who’s in the Beyond Paradise cast?
- Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman
- Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd
- Zahra Ahmadi as Detective Sergeant Esther Williams
- Dylan Llewellyn as Police Constable Kelby Hartford
- Felicity Montagu as Office Support Margo Martins
- Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd
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For more about the Beyond Paradise cast, read on…
Kris Marshall plays DI Humphrey Goodman
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Who is DI Humphrey Goodman? After leaving Saint Marie to follow his love interest Martha Lloyd back to the UK to explore a relationship with her, and they’re now engaged. Humphrey is working a new beat in the fictional town of Shipton Abbott in Devon. His colleagues aren’t sure what to make of him when he first arrives.
How has Marshall found revisiting the character?
“Really easy, actually,” he said. “It’s like slipping on an old pair of slippers. He’s a comfortable, lovely old friend. It’s just delightful to play him again.”
Where have I seen Kris Marshall before? Aside from Death in Paradise, he’s best known for Love Actually, My Family and Sanditon, among others.
Sally Bretton plays Martha Lloyd
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Who is Martha Lloyd? She’s hoping to own a cáfe of her own and is on the hunt for the perfect location. After the death of her dad, Martha and Humphrey moved into her mum’s spare room as she wanted to be closer to her.
“It was wonderful to come back to this character after five years,” said Bretton. “I really like Martha. She’s very warm and driven, but she overthinks things, so she’s interesting to play.”
Where have I seen Sally Bretton before? You’ve probably also watched her in comedy Not Going Out with Lee Mack.
Zahra Ahmadi plays Detective Sergeant Esther Williams
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Who is Detective Sergeant Esther Williams? Like many people, Esther is bemused by Humphrey when she first meets him and is unsure of his approach to policing. She’s intelligent and driven, rising through the police ranks at a rapid rate, and she knows the community inside and out having grown up there, which is invaluable during their investigations. She had a child when she 17, which was a challenging moment in her life, but she rose to the occasion.
Where have I seen Zahra Ahmadi before? She played Shabnam in EastEnders, starred in BBC sitcom Count Arthur Strong and appeared in season 3 of ITV’s The Bay. Ahmadi also appeared in a single episode of Death in Paradise in 2018.
Dylan Llewellyn plays Police Constable Kelby Hartford
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Who is Police Constable Kelby Hartford? He was born and raised in Shipton Abbott, which means he knows a lot of the criminals he catches. He’s naive at times, but he’s also hard-working and determined – attributes which serve him well in the job – and wants to impress Humphrey.
“Kelby looks up to Humphrey, he is really impressed and in awe of his work,” said Llewellyn. “He always wants to do better and improve, so enjoys learning from Humphrey and sees him as almost a father figure.”
Where have I seen Dylan Llewellyn before? He starred as the “wee English fella” in Derry Girls and Jack in Big Boys.
Felicity Montagu plays Office Support Margo Martins
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Who is Office Support Margo Martins? She’s permanently based at the police station, manning the phones and throwing a withering stare at whoever crosses her. She loves the job, although she’d never admit it. Margo has had three husbands, all of whom are dead (no, she’s not a serial killer – we hope not, anyway) and she hardly ever sees her grown-up children. She’s not a fan of Humphrey when he first arrives on the scene.
“On the surface, she’s very tough on everyone and she doesn’t really want to give much away about herself,” said Montagu. “Underneath it all, I think she lives for them. She has a very interesting life and nobody quite knows what Margo gets up to but she’s very fond of them all in her own way.”
Where have I seen Felicity Montagu before? She best known as Lynn in Alan Partridge. She recently appeared in Channel 4 comedy Hullraisers.
Barbara Flynn plays Anne Lloyd
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Who is Anne Lloyd? Martha’s mum. Her husband recently died, leaving her bereft.
“Anne is a little bit at sea at the moment,” said Flynn. “She would have been an easy woman who is very supportive to her husband and her daughter, knowing that the relationship ups and downs in families grow and change. She’s quite a jolly person. She’s not overly accommodating. She has a relationship with her daughter that is very interesting, special and real.”
Her relationship with Humphrey “is not as plain sailing as, ‘Oh, my goodness me, this man is in love with my daughter, I’m going to open my gate’. She finds him rather bewildering and astonishingly tall”.
Where have I seen Barbara Flynn before? You might have watched her in ITV’s Kate & Koji and The Durrells, BBC’s Cranford and Cracker with Robbie Coltrane.
Beyond Paradise episode 1 guest stars
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Montserrat Lombard (Ashes to Ashes) plays Gwen Tyler – a business owner who nearly dies in her own home following a fall.
Davood Ghadami (EastEnders) plays Ben Tyer – Gwen’s husband.
Chris Jenks (Sex Education) plays Josh Woods – he steals a bottle of perfume.
Samantha Spiro (Sex Education) plays Yvonne Wiley – Gwen’s accountant. She wants to become an MP.
Peter De Jersey (Warrior Nun) plays Patrick Wiley – a local man who owns a home security business.
Yasmine Akram (Bad Sisters) plays Carole Meadows – she used to be a partner in Gwen’s business.
Dan Mersh (Back) plays Peter Meadows – Carole’s husband and a cricket enthusiast who runs a market stall.
Nina Singh (Chemistry of Death) plays Sarah Dodds – Gwen’s shop assistant.
David Reed (Damned) plays Sam – Martha’s letting agent.
Eva Feiler (The Crown) plays Nurse Lucy.
Anne Lester (Crown Court) plays Nan.
Beyond Paradise airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Fridays at 8pm. Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.
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