Fans of the hit BBC crime show Death in Paradise are concerned after noticing the apparent absence of one star for the forthcoming series.
Set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, Death in Paradise has aired 13 series on BBC One, with its 14th run of episodes set to start later this month.
The series has become known for its habit of changing its lead character, with Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O'Hanlon, and Ralf Little having previously fronted the show. In December, Don Gilet made his debut as the show’s latest lead, Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson.
The Christmas special also featured the return of Danny John Jules, who previously played the role of Dwayne Myers.
However, fans spotted that Jules is not mentioned in any of the advance materials for the new series.
In the Christmas special, Dwayne had announced that he was handing in his police badge, in order to spend more time with his elderly father, Nelson (Ram John Holder).
“I’m going to be handing my badge in,” the character said. “I’ve just realised there are more important things I need to be doing in my life right now.”
Dwayne appeared in the first seven seasons of Death in Paradise, later rejoining the series in the 2021 Christmas special.
“Where is Dwayne?” one fan wrote on Instagram, after the cast for the new series was announced.
“I’m behind a season I think but he’s one of my favorites & can’t never retire!” another wrote.
The new series will, however, feature the return of a popular character who previously left the series – JP Hooper, played by Tobi Bakare.
In a three-star review of Death in Paradise’s latest Christmas special, critic Ed Power wrote: “There are moments when this Christmas one-off threatens to lose its footing and tumble head over heels like Santa slipping on a dodgy roof tile. The good news is that Gilet is a great addition to the series. His phlegmatic, crotchety persona harks back to the OG Death in Paradise policeman abroad, Richard Poole (the harrumphing Ben Miller).
“Poole was forever grumbling about life on a glorious tropical island. DI Wilson has some of that same Columbo-esque energy, complaining early on that visiting Saint Marie is ‘like stepping back in time’. But there’s deep sadness under that glum exterior, and it is revealed that he came to the island hoping to connect with his mother, whom he had never known.”
Death in Paradise returns to BBC One on 31 January. Previous episodes are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
