Beyond Paradise’s Kris Marshall reveals brutal behind-the-scenes struggle on BBC show
Kris Marshall has revealed how difficult it can be to work on the hit BBC detective series when the "intricate" script "starts to unravel".
Kris starred in D.e.a.t.h In Paradise for three seasons (Image: BBC)
While spending half the year filming BBC One’s D.e.a.t.h in Paradise on the sun-soaked Caribbean island of Guadeloupe may seem like an actor’s dream job, Kris Marshall, who played Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman for three seasons of the long-standing BBC series, reveals that behind the scenes, things can “start to unravel” rapidly due to the punishing climate.
The beloved detective show is typically filmed between December and May each year. Kris elaborates on the My Time Capsule podcast: “They film it in the off season – the rainy season in the Caribbean. It’s cheaper because it’s just not the main tourist season.”
This schedule aids in keeping the series within budget, but according to Kris, there’s a significant downside. He recalls: “You do get useful sunny days, of course, but it rains nearly every day. And until it rains, it builds up this incredible humidity and it can get up to 40 or 41 degrees.”
Kris suggests that such conditions would be ideal if one were actually on holiday, however, the weather becomes difficult when filming in costume. He divulges: “It’s manageable when you’re on a beach in a nice pair of budgie smugglers.”
Kris took over from Ben Miller as the show’s star (Image: TV Times, TV Times via Getty Images)
Filming scenes under the harsh Guadeloupe sun also means that indoor scenes need to be brightly lit for consistency.
“What they do,” Kris explains, “is bring every light they’ve got in the truck into this room when you’re filming inside to bring up the light levels so they match with the outside and, you slowly begin to just cook.”
Kris reveals that the intense studio lighting can drive temperatures to exceed 50 degrees, creating challenging conditions for actors as they strive to repeatedly deliver their complex dialogue.
He explained: “It’s quite intricate… in the way it’s written. If you get a word out of place, the whole thing kind of starts to unravel.”
Kris says D.e.a.t.h In Paradise’s interior scenes were hot and sticky (Image: BBC/Red Planet Pictures/Denis Guyenon)
Continuously tantalised by the sight of the Caribbean’s inviting waters visible through a window merely yards away, Kris describes the lure of the crystalline sea juxtaposed against the demanding filming environment.
Adding to the conversation, former EastEnders sensation Don Gilet, who has stepped into the shoes of the lead detective on the fictional Saint Marie island, admits being frequently tempted to abandon the smoldering set for a cooling dip in the ocean.
In an interview with BBC News, Don expressed his aim to maintain professionalism in the face of the searing heat “even during those testing times when every sinew is screaming at me to run off the set and dive into the sea, swimming pool or an ice-cold beer – whichever happens to be closer at the time!”.
He’s much more comfortable filming in Devon and Cornwall (Image: BBC/Red Planet Pictures/Joss Barratt)
As for Kris, he bids farewell to these trials while reprising his role as Humphrey Goodman in the D.e.a.t.h In Paradise spin-off, Beyond Paradise, now relishing its third season in the milder climate of the West Country.
Kris shares his excitement about working again with old co-stars from the initial series and the joy of filming in Devon and Cornwall: “It encompasses all the great facets of D.e.a.t.h In Paradise,” he reveals, “But I get to go home at the weekend.”
However, Kris may still have to grapple with filming in sweltering conditions. Following the enormous success of D.e.a.t.h in Paradise and Beyond Paradise, the creators revealed another spin-off series – Return to Paradise – this time located in Australia.
