Kris Marshall is set to return as his Death in Paradise character DI Humphrey Goodman in a brand new spin-off series.
The show – titled Beyond Paradise – will see Marshall reunite with Sally Bretton as his fiancée Martha Lloyd, and will pick up with the pair as “they navigate a new life together in the idyll of rural Britain.”
Marshall was the second lead actor to star in the popular murder mystery drama following Ben Miller, and his character Goodman was described as “endearingly awkward and rather unconventional”.
A brief synopsis for the new drama teases, “Seeking a quieter life away from the stress of the city, Humphrey has taken a job as Detective Inspector in fiancée Martha’s hometown.
“However, they soon find that country life is anything but peaceful and Humphrey can’t help but be distracted by the town’s surprisingly high crime rate with a new, and very different, case challenging him each week.”
The show has been co-commissioned by BBC One and BritBox International for six hour-long episodes and was created by Death in Paradise stalwarts Tony Jordan and Robert Thorogood, the former of whom will serve as showrunner.
Filming is set to begin on location in the UK later this year, and additional details – include full casting information – will be announced by the BBC “in due course”.
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Speaking about his return as DI Goodman, Marshall said: “I had the best time playing Humphrey out in Guadeloupe and whilst I was delighted that he got his happy ending with Martha, I always wanted to know what happened next.
“So it’s a joy to be putting his crumpled jacket back on and seeing how life has panned out for him back in the UK. Working with Sally is a dream, and I can’t wait to continue Humphrey and Martha’s story and solve a few seemingly impossible mysteries along the way.”
And Tim Key, the Executive Producer of production company Red Planet Pictures, added: “We always knew there were more Humphrey Goodman tales to be told and with the brilliant Tony Jordan leading the writing team, bringing all the Death in Paradise spirit, humour and joy to this brand new, original series, we can’t wait to get started.
“While Humphrey is used to contending with fiendishly clever puzzles, the biggest challenge of all is navigating his private life and finding out what happens beyond the ‘happy ever after’. We’re delighted to be working with Kris and Sally again and creating a little bit of Paradise in the UK.”
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