This week is somewhat bittersweet for Death in Paradise fans as not only does the current series come to an end but a new spin-off also hits our screens. Beyond Paradise will reunite viewers with DI Humphrey Goodman played by Kris Marshall.
Marshall left the original BBC series in 2017 after his character followed Sally Bretton’s character, Martha Lloyd, to London to declare his undying love for her. The couple are now back for a brand-new set of adventures.
Beyond Paradise leaves behind the sunny shores of Saint Marie and transports viewers to Shipton Abbott, Martha’s hometown near the beautiful Devonshire coast.
Read more: Beyond Paradise: Kris Marshall pays tribute to 'wonderful' Ruth Madoc ahead of final role
Here’s everything that you need to know about the new series.
When does Beyond Paradise start?
The six-part series begins on BBC One at 8pm on Friday, February 24. The final of the current series of Death in Paradise will air straight after at 9pm.
Each episode of Beyond Paradise will air over six consecutive weeks at the same time every week.
Who is in the cast of Beyond Paradise?
As mentioned, Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton lead the cast of Beyond Paradise. They play DI Humphrey Goodman and fiancee Martha Hughes, respectively.
Aside from his role in Death in Paradise, Kris is known for starring in My Family, Love Actually, The Merchant of Venice, Citizen Khan and A Few Best Men. Meanwhile, viewers will best recognise Sally for her role in Lee Mack's sitcom, Not Going Out.
Zahra Ahmadi plays DS Esther Williams in the series. She is probably best remembered for playing the original Shabnam Masood in EastEnders.
Derry Girls and Big Boys star Dylan Llewellyn will also be in the series, playing PC Kelby Hart. Completing the Shipton Abbot police force line-up is Alan Partridge actress Felicity Montagu, who plays Margo Martins.
Over the course of six episodes, there will be numerous guest stars in Beyond Paradise. Phil Daniels, Samantha Spiro, Montserrat Lombard and the late Ruth Madoc are among some of those appearing.
What is the plot of Beyond Paradise?
The official BBC teaser for Beyond Paradise reveals: “A new adventure awaits as we find [Humphrey and Martha] arriving in Shipton Abbott, Martha’s hometown near the beautiful Devonshire coast, having left London. As they embark on their new life, the couple are quickly thrown in at the deep end as Martha sets out to pursue her dream of running her own restaurant and Humphrey joins the local police force. Quickly making an impression on the somewhat eclectic team: DS Esther Williams, PC Kelby Hartford and Margo Martins, Humphrey sets out to help crack a host of baffling cases, with the Shipton Abbott squad witnessing a whole new approach to police work...
“Each week the team is faced with a new crime with a unique puzzle at its heart. The not-so-sleepy town of Shipton Abbott will be rocked by an entire family disappearing without a trace; a woman claiming she was attacked by a suspect from the seventeenth century; the robbery of a highly prized painting; a body bizarrely discovered in a crop circle and a serial arsonist with a mysterious penchant for nursery rhymes.
“As Humphrey gets stuck into his new job, he and Martha must also navigate life’s ups and downs, as faces from the past, the decisions they make and the challenges of setting up life in a new town put their relationship to the ultimate test.”
Where is Beyond Paradise filmed?
The fictional Devon town of Shipton Abbott was created largely in the Cornish town Looe. The cast filmed in various locations around the Cornwall and Devon coast in the first series.
In the announcement for the series, show creator Tim Key said: “We left Humphrey and Martha in the UK and we did talk early doors about whereabouts that might be. It was about the DNA of the Death in Paradise universe, and it needed to be somewhere beautiful and somewhere that felt a bit different. It needed similarities with Saint Marie, but also its own personality and identity. Devon and the South-West just felt like the perfect place.”
Beyond Paradise begins on BBC One on Friday, February 24 at 8pm. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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