The production of the beloved BBC detective drama Death in Paradise faced an unexpected interruption when one of its leading stars required immediate medical assistance following a bizarre on-set incident. Actor Ben Miller, who portrayed Detective Inspector Richard Poole in the show's inaugural series, has shared startling behind-the-scenes details about the challenges of filming in the Caribbean, including a freak accident that forced producers to halt shooting for the day.
Heatstroke and Unwanted Insect Intruders
In an exclusive interview, Miller reflected on the six-month filming stint in Guadeloupe back in 2010, where the series is set on the fictional island of Saint Marie. The actor, now 59, described two particularly unusual experiences that disrupted the otherwise idyllic tropical filming environment. The first issue was heatstroke, a common affliction among the cast and crew due to the intense Caribbean sun.
"The only trouble I had, well, I had two weird things that happened," Miller explained. "One was, what a lot of people got, which was heat stroke - it does send you slightly crazy. And because I was wearing a wool suit, at one point, in the middle of the scene, I tried to rip all my clothes off and run into the sea. It's just so hot in these scenes."
Emergency Medical Intervention Required
However, it was the second incident that led to a complete filming shutdown. During a scene at the police station with co-star Danny John-Jules, Miller noticed a peculiar insect flying in loops around his head. In a moment of sheer misfortune, the creature flew directly into his ear, causing immediate distress and prompting urgent action from the production team.
"I was literally quivering as this thing was burrowing down inside my ear, and I didn't know what it was," Miller recalled with a chuckle. "I had to go to the doctor in Deshaies, that's the name of the little town where we filmed, and the doctor had to get a pair of tweezers and pluck this little burrowing insect out of my ear."
Production Halt and Unusual Caribbean Challenges
The actor's description of the sensation as "like someone was tickling inside your ear" made continuing with filming impossible. Miller admitted he "literally went a bit crazy, sort of jumping around, and then I ran off", necessitating the cancellation of filming for that day while he received medical attention.
Beyond insect intrusions, Miller revealed another unusual aspect of filming in Guadeloupe - the constant presence of land crabs that required regular management by the production team. "There's a very odd thing in Guadeloupe, in most of the scenes, all the beaches have these land crabs just out of shot," he shared. "It's usually about 100 crabs that have just been brushed out of the way by the set designer or the standby props department. There's often a man with a broom just brushing crabs out of the way before we call action."
Lasting Memories from Inaugural Series
These unexpected challenges formed part of Miller's memories from filming the first series of what would become a long-running television success, now approaching its fifteenth year on air. The actor's experiences highlight the less glamorous realities of filming in exotic locations, where tropical beauty coexists with practical difficulties that can disrupt even the most carefully planned productions.
Miller's portrayal of the cantankerous London detective relocated to the Caribbean helped establish the show's distinctive tone and appeal. His behind-the-scenes revelations offer fans a glimpse into the unexpected hurdles faced during the creation of the programme's early episodes, demonstrating how real-world incidents can intersect with fictional storytelling in memorable ways.
