{"id":44810,"date":"2024-01-30T14:40:19","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T13:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1982735"},"modified":"2024-01-30T17:56:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T16:56:40","slug":"death-in-paradise-stars-is-the-commissioner-actually-going-to-die","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/death-in-paradise-stars-is-the-commissioner-actually-going-to-die\/","title":{"rendered":"Death in Paradise stars: \u201cIs the commissioner actually going to die?\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don Warrington, Shantol Jackson and Ralf Little teased the dramatic 100th episode. <\/p>

By David Craig\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 30 January 2024 at 13:40 PM<\/p>

\n\n

The stars of Death in Paradise<\/a> have discussed the show\u2019s momentous 100th episode<\/a>, in which principal character Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) finds himself in mortal danger.<\/p>\n

The authority figure has been a part of the show since the very beginning, working alongside all four of the show\u2019s lead detectives \u2013 Richard Poole (Ben Miller), Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), Jack Mooney (Ardal O\u2019Hanlon) and Neville Parker (Ralf Little).<\/p>\n

For him to be killed off would be a status quo-shattering development for the relatively light-hearted crime drama, but the stars aren\u2019t ruling anything out as they promise a blockbuster episode to mark the show\u2019s extraordinary milestone.<\/p>\n

The official synopsis teases that the commissioner will be shot<\/a> by a \u201cmysterious assassin\u201d while at a party commemorating his five decades on the police force.<\/p>\n

Speaking of the 100th episode, Warrington himself told the BBC<\/a>: \u201cIt was exciting to shoot, because I think it\u2019s an episode where we move away from the sort of conventional case, as it is a crime that involves everybody.<\/p>

\u201cEverybody is emotionally involved in solving it, given the victim is somebody they know. They have an emotional response that is different, because normally we don\u2019t know the victims, so there\u2019s a detachment when dealing with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cThere\u2019s a sense of jeopardy about this case, which I think hopefully makes it exciting to watch. I suppose the big question is, will he make it or not?\u201d<\/p>\n

Famously, Miller\u2019s DI Poole was killed off in a shock twist after two seasons on the show, while Little\u2019s DI Parker was recently the subject of an investigation following a traumatic framing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Death in Paradise co-star Shantol Jackson, who plays DS Naomi Thomas, anticipated how viewers would be feeling as Commissioner Patterson came into the line of fire, describing the development as \u201cdevastating\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commissioner is a beloved character, and has been with Death in Paradise since day one \u2013 it\u2019s kind of a thing where you never know when someone might go,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\"Shantol\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Shantol Jackson as DS Naomi Thomas and Don Warrington as Commissioner Patterson in Death In Paradise.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC \/ Red Planet Pictures \/ Denis Guyenon<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cI think the audience\u2019s first reaction will be, \u2018Oh my gosh, is Don leaving the show?\u2019 and, \u2018Is the commissioner actually going to die?’\u201d<\/p>\n

At this precarious moment for the character, Death in Paradise star Little reflected on the relationship between DI Parker and Commissioner Patterson to date, conceding it has been \u201cprickly\u201d but underpinned by true respect and admiration.<\/p>\n

He began: \u201cNeville, like the rest of the team, is really struggling with it. They don\u2019t know if the commissioner is going to be OK.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeville and the commissioner appear to have a prickly relationship since he arrived \u2013 however, I don\u2019t actually think they do.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commissioner is like a father figure to Neville, and he\u2019s been there every step of the way, even though he might be grumpy and standoffish.<\/p>\n

\"DI\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) and Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington).<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC \/ Red Planet \/ Denis Guyeon<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cEvery time Neville looks like something\u2019s about to get to him, he\u2019ll have the support of the commissioner, who softens that little moment and offers him the right words at the right time. The commissioner means everything to Neville.\u201d<\/p>\n

Little added: \u201cIt\u2019s a great one. I think people are going to love it, as well as be worried. Make no mistake, our characters are absolutely desperate for things to work out. They all have a stake in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to them to always solve the crimes, but I don\u2019t think we\u2019ve ever had a crime where every single character has an emotional stake in solving it, and that gives the whole thing a new dynamic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whatever the fate of Commissioner Patterson, the future of Death in Paradise is confirmed until 2025, with more episodes of established spin-off Beyond Paradise<\/a> and all-new project Return to Paradise<\/a> also in development.<\/p>\n