Don Warrington has played Commissioner Selwyn Patterson since the very first season of Death in Paradise.
Indeed, The Commissioner is the only character in the current series, Death in Paradise season 14, who appeared in the first ever episode, "Arriving in Paradise", in 2011. Catherine Bordey (Élizabeth Bourgine) didn't show up until the second episode of season 1.
However, one of the main plots of the current series is the news that The Commissioner's job is being phased out. In Death in Paradise season 14 episode 5 The Commissioner got "narky", as DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) put it, as it was revealed it was his final week on the job. Despite Catherine raising a massive petition to keep him, the bosses are determined to end The Commissioner's role in Saint Marie.
Then in episode six, The Commissioner packed up his office and his "replacement", Sterling Fox arrived. Here's everything we know...
Is Don Warrington officially leaving Death in Paradise as The Commissioner?
No. Despite endless stories saying this is the end of Selwyn, Don Warrington has not said he's leaving Death in Paradise. Don, who's 73, may have decided that after more than a decade on the show he's calling it a day, but he's not said as much. It perhaps is slightly stretching things having a Police Commissioner in his 70s, but it’s not exactly as if Death in Paradise is a documentary!
In episode six as mentioned Sterling Fox arrives. He's not a direct replacement as he's managing several islands including Saint Marie. In his introduction episode, it's clear Sterling is rather smug and dismissive of what Selwyn does. He's soon annoying the team, especially with his talk of cost-cutting.
Indeed, in episode 7 new boss Sterling (Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge) attempts to shut down Mervin’s investigation into the death of his mother, Dorna Bray (EastEnders' Judith Jacob). Could Selwyn help out and save the day paving the way for him to stay on?
What happens to Selwyn?
We don't know at this stage but fans wanting the character to stay shouldn't give up hope. Catherine is determined in her position as the Mayor of Saint Marie to continue the fight and the team also wants to save Selwyn.
What medals does Selwyn have?
According to an official fan site among Selwyn's many medals are the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Saint Marie's Lifetime Award for Services to the Island Medal and the Queen's Gallantry Medal.
What does The Commissioner actually do in Death in Paradise?
This is the question that many of his DIs have asked over the years! Well, one thing he does is recruit the team, and fair play to him he has a real talent for finding brilliant DIs who are from the UK. He's also good at mentoring members of the team and trying to get the best out of them.
After this quite how he fills his days is something of a mystery although he does deal with the big bosses. He loves yachting and we wonder if he sometimes sneaks off for a quick sail around Saint Marie harbour on quieter days. In terms of actually solving cases, he doesn't do a lot. It seemed a bit much in episode 5 of the most recent series when he started barking at the team for failing to solve the case in record time and then offered nothing in the way of any help. Indeed, it's amazing how loyal his team is given how narky he gets.
If we get an official update we will update this article. Death in Paradise season 14 continues on Friday nights on BBC One, while it's on BritBox in the US. Every episode screened to date on the BBC is available on BBC iPlayer. We also have a rundown of the best-ever Death in Paradise episodes.
