Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise’s Ben Miller exit explained as fans claim show ‘ruined’
Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise fans were left heartbroken when the show's first detective left and have said the charm was 'gone'
Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise has returned to BBC One, with Don Gilet taking on the role of DI Mervin Wilson, the new detective. Initially, he had a hard time connecting with his colleagues, who perceived him as ignorant and impolite.
However, he’s already begun to demonstrate his value on the island and shown some empathy towards his team. As he adjusts to life on Saint Marie, fans have been reflecting on the show’s previous lead detectives.
The series’ first detective was Richard Poole, portrayed by Ben Miller. At the beginning of the third season, Poole was killed off and the bumbling London Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) was brought in to investigate his predecessor’s Dᴇᴀᴛʜ .
Ben had a valid reason for exiting the role – he was about to become a father and wanted to put his family first. He revealed to Digital Spy: “Two weeks after I arrived in the Caribbean, Jessica found out that she was pregnant.
“I’ve just got divorced and I’ve finally met somebody and now I’m on the other side of the world and we’re having a baby.
“That’s a proper curveball to be on the end of. So I knew what I had to do to get my wife back – quit Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise.”
He welcomed the possibility of his return and even graced the show with a spectral appearance in celebration of its 10th year.
Enthusiastic fans shared their views on Reddit regarding Ben’s exit, with one fan expressing: “It was my favourite series and now the heart of it’s been ripped out.
“It just won’t be the same – it’s exactly like what happened when Charlie Sheen left Two and a Half Men, the charm was gone, even though only one cast member left.”
At the initial revelation of his departure, user bobafett86 commented: “Well that’s depressing news.”
Beatski lamented: “Well, that’s that ruined. why the hell has this happened?” Lomoeffect exclaimed: “What?! I can’t see how the series is going to work without him.”
Ben meanwhile has embraced family life, welcoming another child with his wife, production executive Jessica Parker, thus adding a son and a daughter to their brood.
Previously, he had tied the knot with actress Belinda Stewart-Wilson in 2004, with whom he shares a son, but the couple divorced in 2011.
Dᴇᴀᴛʜ in Paradise can be caught on BBC One on Fridays at 9pm.
