BBC Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise fans call for major star to replace Don Gilet as new lead detective

Fans are alight with theories on who might step into the shoes of Don Gilet(Image: BBC)

As season 14 of BBC’s Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise has wrapped up, fans are alight with theories on who might step into the shoes of Don Gilet as the show’s lead.

Don Gilet made his dazzling entrance in the festive special for 2024 and took over detective duties from Ralf Little’s DI Neville Parker, taking the reins of crime-solving on the sun-drenched island of Saint Marie.

Simultaneously, the new series Beyond Paradise that fills BBC’s coveted Friday night slot, has elicited fan proposals for a crossover – specifically a figure from Shipton Abbot to join the balmy climes.

A proposition floated by one enthusiast on Reddit tips Dylan Llewellyn, who portrays PC Kelby Hartford in Beyond Paradise, as a promising candidate for Saint Marie’s next lead investigator.

Other fans liked the sound of this pitch with one saying: “Obviously, Humphrey has already gone the other way, and this would be a nice way to continue the small interactions between the series.”

Don Gilet made his dazzling entrance in the festive special for 2024 (Image: BBC)

An upbeat response came from another who mused: “I think Saint Marie would be good for him, it would be cool to see in the next 3/4 years.”

Yet another chimed in with a hope for a familiar face: “I’d certainly like to see something like this. My preference would be to see Humphrey returning to the island, to fill the commissioner void left by Selwyn,” reports Leicestershire Live.

However, not all were sold on the notion of Kelby taking a leading role just yet, with a sceptic noting: “Maybe as a Sergeant in a few years. He’s got to do some growing up first.”

A fan has chimed in proposing a fresh twist for the show, suggesting: “What about Esther stepping up to be the next DI? Zoe could move from her apprenticeship with Martha to one under Catherine.”

Rumours have been swirling, albeit not yet confirmed by chiefs of the series, that we might witness a character transition between ‘Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise’ and its offshoot show, ‘Beyond Paradise’.

This wouldn’t be an unprecedented move; Kris Marshall is known for straddling both shows, having originated his role of DI Humphrey Goodman on ‘Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise’ before venturing into ‘Beyond Paradise’.

Kris first appeared as the detective lead in 2014 and, after a six-series run, made the decision to exit the exotic backdrop to place more emphasis on his family back in Blighty.

Sharing his reasons on Lorraine Kelly’s morning segment on ITV, Kris remarked: “I realised I had to get my son to school.”

Further detailing the idyllic, yet impractical island life influencing his son, he humorously shared: “He was becoming a bit too Caribbean, he refused to wear shoes and would only drink coconut water and eat pineapple.

“He was very good on the beach but not so good with Maths and English, so I decided that it was time to get him to school.”