Beyond Paradise is a crime television series that acts as a spin-off of the long-running series Death in Paradise. It stars Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton. The BBC announced that it had commissioned the spin-off on 29 June 2022. The first series of six episodes aired weekly from 24 February 2023 to 7 April 2023.
On 7 April 2023, the BBC announced that the series had been renewed for a Christmas special and a six-episode second series. The Christmas Special aired on 24 December 2023 and the second series aired weekly from 24 March 2024 to 26 April 2024. On 26 April 2024, it was announced that another Christmas Special and a third six-episode series had been commissioned. The Christmas Special aired on 27 December 2024 and the third series aired from 28 March 2025 to 2 May 2025. On 29 July 2025, it was confirmed that a fourth series had commenced filming. In December 2025, a Christmas special was aired.
The BBC commissioned a fifth series, with filming to begin in Devon July 2026, that is expected to air on BBC One in 2027.
Contents
Synopsis
The show follows Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman, who left Saint Marie to be with Martha Lloyd. After becoming engaged, the couple move to Martha's hometown of Shipton Abbott, near the Devon coast. Not long after arriving, Humphrey joins the small local police force, where he quickly makes an impression on the local officers: Detective Sergeant Esther Williams, PC Kelby Hartford, and office support worker Margo Martins who, along with stories featuring local aspects including (fictional) local sinister superstitions, bring a whole new approach to police work.
Cast and characters
Main
Kris Marshall as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman
Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd, Humphrey's wife
Zahra Ahmadi as Detective Sergeant Esther Williams
Dylan Llewellyn as Constable Kelby Hartford
Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins, office support
Melina Sinadinou as Zoe Williams, Esther's daughter (series 3–4; recurring series 1–2)
Jamie Bamber as Archie Hughes, Martha's former business partner and ex-fiancé (series 3-present; recurring series 1)
Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd, Martha's mother
Recurring
Chris Jenks as Josh Woods, petty thief
Eva Feiler as Lucy, Josh Woods' fiancée
Jade Harrison as Chief Superintendent Charlotte “Charlie” Woods (series 1–3)
Peter Davison as Peter/Richard Baxter, Anne's internet date (series 2)
Amalia Vitale as Hannah Owen, fostering care case worker
Vincent Franklin as James Smith, Chief Superintendent Wood's replacement who tries to force the police station to downsize (Series 4)
Crossover characters from Death in Paradise
Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson
Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey
Ralf Little as Detective Inspector Neville Parker
Shantol Jackson as Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas
Tahj Miles as Officer Marlon Pryce
Cast timeline
Introduced in series 1
Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall, series 1–)
Martha Goodman (Sally Bretton, series 1–)
Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi, series 1–)
Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn, series 1–)
Margo Martins (Felicity Montagu, series 1–)
Anne Lloyd (Barbara Flynn, series 1–)
Archie Hughes (Jamie Bamber, series 1, series 3–)
Charlie Woods (Jade Harrison, series 1–3)
Zoe Williams (Melina Sinadinou, series 3–4; recurring series 1–2)
Introduced in series 2
Richard Baxter (Peter Davison, series 2)
Introduced in series 3
Rosie (Bella Rei Blue Stevenson, series 3)
Introduced in series 4
James Smith (Vincent Franklin, series 4)
Agnieszka (Hazel Caulfield, Kelby's girlfriend, series 4)
Production
Casting
The detective played by Kris Marshall is one of the most popular to have featured on Death in Paradise, and the producers knew that he resonated with audiences around the world. They felt audiences would want to know what happened to Humphrey and Martha. Sally Bretton also reprised her role from Death in Paradise.
Zahra Ahmadi and Barbara Flynn had both previously appeared in episodes of Death in Paradise playing different characters.
Location
The series is set in the fictional coastal town of Shipton Abbott, South Devon. A number of locations were considered, but the producers settled on the West Country as they felt that Devon had not been used very often in TV drama. They decided to film in the Cornish town of Looe because it has a thriving community with fishing businesses. The fictional town is set slightly back from the coast so different storylines could be developed.
The University of Plymouth's Portland Square and Nancy Astor buildings feature as the South West Police Headquarters.
Anne Lloyd's house, the houseboat, and quay are located on the Pentillie Castle and Estate on the River Tamar north of Plymouth.
Episodes
Series 1 (2023)
Episodes 4–6 were released on BritBox in the United States a week earlier than they were in the United Kingdom.
Reception
Michael Hogan of The Telegraph gave it four stars out of five, proclaiming it "superior to its mothership show" and "Charming, cheerful and just gripping enough, it was the cosy crime treat we didn't know we needed." Jack Seale of The Guardian, conversely, awarded the first episode two out of five stars.
