Ardal O'Hanlon Joins Death In Paradise

Ardal O'Hanlon has joined the cast of BBC One drama Death In Paradise. The announcement comes as the crime drama has been commissioned for a seventh series.

O'Hanlon's character – DI Jack Mooney – made his debut in the show this week as the team visit London for the first time. He will then join the Caribbean team when they return to Saint Marie – in the place of DI Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall).

O'Hanlon joins series regulars Josephine Jobert, Danny John-Jules, Tobi Bakare and Don Warrington for the remaining episodes of series six. He will remain the resident Caribbean cop when the ratings smash returns for a seventh series in 2018.

Ardal O'Hanlon said: "I am delighted to be joining Death in Paradise and exploring what's made Mooney up and leave London for a life in the Caribbean. I've already had a taste of filming in Guadeloupe and can't wait to get back."

Kris Marshall added: "Death in Paradise has been an incredible experience, six months every year filming on a tropical island in the sunshine – what's not to love! Humphrey was socially awkward and clumsy but also brilliant, I'll miss him but it's time to hand over to someone new and spend more time with my family. I know Ardal will do a superb job and I just hope Humphrey gets a happy ending."

The nature of Humphrey's departure is still under wraps until his final episode airs on 9 February, 2017.

Tim Key, Executive Producer, Red Planet Pictures, said: "It has been a joy to work with Kris Marshall over the last four years – he brought so much to the role of DI Humphrey Goodman and we're going to miss him enormously. However we are thrilled to be welcoming Ardal to Saint Marie. He is comedy royalty and DI Mooney brings a brand new dimension to the show when he arrives on the island. We're really excited about our plans for this series and beyond."

Elizabeth Kilgarriff, BBC Commissioning Editor and Executive Producer, commented: "Death in Paradise is pure escapism for BBC One viewers and I am delighted to confirm it will be returning for another series. Kris has been a brilliant and heroic detective who will be greatly missed, but I am so pleased to welcome Ardal to the team and can't wait to see him take the reigns as our leading Caribbean crime fighter."

Death In Paradise has been commissioned for BBC One by Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, and Piers Wenger, Controller of Drama Commissioning. It is a Red Planet Pictures production, produced with the support of the region of Guadeloupe.

It is created by Robert Thorogood, produced by Sue Howells and executive produced by Tony Jordan and Tim Key for Red Planet Pictures and Elizabeth Kilgarriff for the BBC.

Image: BBC Media Centre.

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP)