Kris Marshall peers intently into his webcam, running a hand through his thick thatch of hair as he reflects on his journey as one of the UK’s most enduring TV stars. At 51, he prepares to don the ill-fitting suit jacket of DI Humphrey Goodman in the much-loved cozy crime series Beyond Paradise, which returns to BBC One on March 28, 2025, for its third series.
“I’d never done a spin-off before, so I felt a lot of pressure with this initially,” he admits. “But then I felt a lot of pressure when I stepped into Death in Paradise, too.” Beyond Paradise was born out of Death in Paradise, the hugely popular murder-a-week series set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie. Running for 14 years and screening in over 200 territories, the show has built a massive global fanbase.
Marshall joined the cast of Death in Paradise in 2014, following a series of lead characters portrayed by actors like Ben Miller and Ralf Little. Each detective inspector arrives on the island like a fish out of water, struggling with the heat, local customs, and various criminals. “Previously,” Marshall says, “I’d always started shows; I’d never joined an already established one. Ben had done a fantastic job, and I knew that I couldn’t just be a carbon copy. I had to do something different.”
DI Goodman, with his surface clumsiness and social awkwardness, belies an astute mind reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s iconic detectives. His character is a combination of the quirky detectives Marshall grew up watching, including Miss Marple and Poirot. The first series of Beyond Paradise aired in 2023 and became the highest-rated new drama on the BBC that year, attracting nine million viewers weekly.
Set in the fictional town of Shipton Abbott on the Devon-Cornwall border, Beyond Paradise is visually stunning and offers a light-hearted escape from the grimness of many contemporary crime dramas. “I do think there is still a place for something that harks back to this kind of format,” Marshall notes. “Something without the gore and grimness of all those true-crime dramas.”
Marshall’s career began in Somerset, where he discovered his passion for acting in school. He transitioned from theatre to film, landing roles in significant movies like The Merchant of Venice alongside Al Pacino and Iris with Judi Dench. His breakout role came in Richard Curtis’s 2003 romcom Love Actually, where he played a charming character who believes his London accent will impress American women. “It’s part of the vernacular now, isn’t it?” he reflects. “It’s wonderful to have been a part of.”
However, it was his role in the BBC sitcom My Family that catapulted him to household-name status. The show, which ran for 11 series from 2000, was a throwback to gentler sitcoms, focusing on generational misunderstandings and sibling bickering. Marshall left after five series, seeking new opportunities. “I’ve always thought that the whole point of being an actor is that you don’t do the same thing forever,” he explains.
His adventurous spirit led him to various film and TV roles, including a three-year stint in the Jane Austen period drama Sanditon. When he was offered the role in Death in Paradise, he consulted his wife, Hannah, who was a fan of the show. “It was a fantastic opportunity,” he says, recalling their time living in Guadeloupe, where their son spent his early years. However, the move came with challenges, including outbreaks of dengue fever and Zika virus.
After leaving Death in Paradise in 2017, Marshall returned to the UK, but Beyond Paradise offered him a chance to reprise a role that had become synonymous with his career. “Parameters change, don’t they?” he muses. “The kind of wanderlust I had early in my career is mostly gone. I’m in a really happy place.”
In the latest series, DI Goodman and his partner Martha (Sally Bretton) navigate their personal lives while solving crimes. The show’s producers have taken a unique approach by focusing on their journey to foster a child, which adds depth to the narrative. “We wanted to represent them in a way that didn’t do a disservice to anyone who has been on that journey,” says producer Tim Key, highlighting the importance of authenticity in their portrayal of fostering.
As the couple welcomes young Rosie into their home in the 2025 series, the storyline emphasizes the emotional complexities of fostering. “I am in constant awe of people who decide that’s a role they want to fulfill in society,” Marshall shares, reflecting on his late mother’s experience as a foster parent. “It was important for us to show that fostering is temporary by its nature.”
Marshall believes that this storyline resonates deeply with viewers, as it sheds light on the challenges and rewards of fostering. “We see more of them as people than in Death in Paradise,” he notes. “Humphrey is beloved, so we can pull on the heartstrings, but we won’t always wrap it up neatly.”
The new season promises to blend humor, heart, and mystery, with the team facing more sinister crimes. Viewers can expect the same charming dynamic that made Beyond Paradise a hit, while also tackling significant social issues. “We guarantee that the audience will get the puzzle, the fun, the heart and optimism, and the solution,” Key assures.
As Beyond Paradise returns to BBC One on Friday nights at 8pm, fans can look forward to a blend of crime-solving and heartfelt storytelling. With its charming characters and engaging plots, the series continues to captivate audiences, proving that there’s always room for a little warmth and humor in the world of crime drama.
