Death in Paradise star Ralf Little has revealed why he decided to leave the BBC series after five years as Detective Inspector Neville Parker. The actor explained his departure during a Saturday Kitchen appearance this weekend, describing the timing as feeling "right" for both him and his character's story arc.
Little served as the longest-serving detective in the show's history, taking over the Saint Marie police force role in 2020 from Ardal O'Hanlon's DI Jack Mooney. EastEnders actor Don Gilet has been announced as his successor, reports the Express.
His character faced numerous challenges during his tenure, including overcoming allergies and sun aversions, and even surviving an attempt to frame him for murder. Fans were heartbroken when Little announced last year that he would be leaving the popular Caribbean-set series.
Mutual decision with producers
The departure was a mutual decision reached between Little and the show's producers. "I'd done five years and that made me the longest-serving detective on the show," he told host Matt Tebbutt. "It felt like my character Neville's story had been told. Me and the producers sat down, and we, kind of, all agreed."
Little explained that whilst they could have continued, it felt natural to conclude when the story had reached its completion. "Maybe we could have done another season, even maybe a couple, but you don't want to keep doing something when it feels like it's come to its natural conclusion," he said. "We felt like his story had finished in a quite rounded, quite beautiful and poignant way, so it felt like the right time to leave. Now, instead of spending six months of the year in the Caribbean, I've got to be in Clapham, but I'm very happy to be here."
Physical demands of filming
The actor revealed the challenging reality behind the glamorous Caribbean setting. "It wasn't and isn't as easy as it looks. I'm lucky enough to enjoy the job that I do, so that always makes things better. But it's physically demanding," Little explained.
He described the filming experience as particularly taxing. "It's like a marathon for six months out there, and especially wearing the costume... You have to put that on and there's a lot of standing around in the heat. You'd be amazed at how physically exerting [it is]," he said. "Listen, there's harder jobs in the world, I'm not saying I deserve a medal or anything, but it is not a big holiday that people think it is. It's hard."
Show's continued success
The 45-year-old expressed his enthusiasm for the show's future success, reflecting on his time with the production. "It's an amazing show and I'm glad it's still going from strength to strength. I'm delighted because I want nothing but success for that show," Little said. "It's been a huge part of my life. It's been one of the most magical experiences of my life, and I just feel really privileged to have been a part of it."
Death in Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Sources used: "Express", "Manchester Evening News", "WalesOnline" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
