“If it wasn’t so cold, you would think you were in the Caribbean.”
Unlike its predecessor Death in Paradise, which is filmed in the Caribbean – Guadeloupe, to be precise – spin-off Beyond Paradise is both set and shot in the UK.
“The Caribbean is a tough act to follow,” said executive writer and producer Tony Jordan. “There are lots of beautiful places in the UK, and it was a tough choice. “
Executive producer Tim Key added: “We knew it had to be set somewhere beautiful and, in the UK, we are spoilt for choice.”
Where is Beyond Paradise set?
Beyond Paradise is set in the fictional town of Shipton Abbott in the very real county of Devon.
“The town is beautiful, situated near the coast, full of character,” said Key. “It’s set slightly back from the coast, so we have all sorts of story worlds to dive into, including the folklore of the town, which is touched upon in episode 1.”
Humphrey Goodman’s partner Martha Lloyd (Sally Bretton), who first met the detective (Kris Marshall) while holidaying on the island of Saint Marie, was born and raised there. It might look sleepy on the surface, but there’s never a dull day.
Humphrey’s new colleagues DS Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi) and PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn) are also locals.
Where is Beyond Paradise filmed?
Filming for Beyond Paradise took place in both Devon and Cornwall, the “most beautiful part of England”, according to Jordan.
Marshall, who is from Somerset, which sits just above Devon, echoed that: “In my opinion, it’s the most beautiful part of the UK. It has everything; cider, cheese, countryside, amazing coastline.”
He went on to reveal that his favourite spot in the region is Kynance Cove in Cornwall.
“It’s like a smuggler’s paradise down there,” he added. “The sand is white and there’s crystal clear blue sea. If it wasn’t so cold, you would think you were in the Caribbean.”
Looe, Llewellyn’s favourite location, is an area they regularly filmed in.
“It is a lovely, beautiful place to be with the countryside and the beaches,” he said. “Shooting towards the end of summer meant we were able to enjoy some great weather, too.”
Ahmadi, who lives in the area, said she’s “proud to be from the West Country”, adding: “I love the fact that the cast and crew are asking me for tips on where they should visit or where’s good to eat and drink.”
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Speaking about why they chose to set the series in the West Country, Jordan said: “I remember growing up as a kid and my family holidays were in Devon, staying in caravans in Westwood Ho. I love Cornwall and the West Country and lived in Bristol for a while, so it’s very familiar to me.
“It is paradise in its own way, so was a perfect fit and gave me everything the show needed. It’s not set on the sea front, but the sea is there.
“What is amazing about the west country with the small towns and villages is the genuine community feel.”
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Key said there were “lots of conversations” about where the series would be filmed, but they “settled quite quickly on the West Country”, adding: “We felt that Devon hadn’t had a huge amount of exposure in TV drama, Cornwall often nabs the glory.
“We travelled around lots of different places and were on the hunt to find somewhere that felt like a real town over a seaside resort. When we went to Looe, which is actually in Cornwall, it was a beautiful tourist town, but also a thriving community with fishing businesses, so we felt we had found our home.”
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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