Actor Ralf Little quickly became a fan favourite when he joined BBC's Death in Paradise. We explain the real reason why he decided to leave.
Ralf Little Addresses Fans After Leaving Death in Paradise
After joining Death in Paradise in 2020, Ralf Little became a familiar face to viewers as DI Neville Parker. Over the course of four years, he fronted the long-running BBC detective drama, appearing in dozens of episodes, several Christmas specials and a brief appearance in sister series Beyond Paradise.
However, his time on the show concluded with the finale of series 13 in 2024, which saw Neville finally get his happy ending. The detective left Saint Marie behind to begin a new life with Florence Cassell, played by Josephine Jobert.
Following the broadcast, the actor shared a heartfelt message with fans, confirming that he had officially stepped away from the role after four successful years at the centre of the series.
In a heartfelt message, he said: "My time on Saint Marie has come to an end – what an end! New adventures await Neville, and he got to sail away into the sunset with his best friend. Who knows what happens for them next!"
Speaking about joining the Saint Marie police team back in 2020, taking over from Ardal O'Hanlon's DI Jack Mooney, Ralf continued: "I want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who watched and supported the show when I arrived four-and-a-half years ago."
"Coming into a series beloved by millions was a huge responsibility and I had no idea whether viewers would take to my interpretation of Neville's character, and indeed to me. It was quite a relief that the response has been overwhelming, and it's been an absolute privilege and a pleasure to bring Neville Parker to all of you and to share his quite profound journey with you."
He added: "I can't thank you all enough for the support over the last four and a half years. It's been one of the most magical and profound experiences of my entire life. The team that makes Death in Paradise - the producers, writers, directors, crew, guest cast, and my magnificent co-stars - they know what they're doing, and the future is in good hands. I can't wait to see what happens next. It's been the ride of a lifetime."
Following his departure, Ralf appeared on BBC Breakfast. He told hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt: "This last series was always going to be my last series. I had talks with the BBC, and with Red Planet, the production company, and we all agreed."
He added: "If it was in my heart… like, if it was just a heart decision, I'd have wanted to do it for 20 more years. But just for the show, and for my character Neville, it just felt like his story, it deserved to be finished, and his journey deserved to be completed and he deserved a nice happy ending, and so it just felt right."
Since debuting on BBC One in 2011, Death in Paradise has become one of the broadcaster's most successful drama series. Over the years, several actors have taken charge as the show's lead detective, including Ben Miller, Kris Marshall and now Don Gilet.
Death In Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
