Former Death in Paradise star Kris Marshall has opened up about his joy at being reunited with a beloved co-star from the hit series during a festive television special.
A Festive Surprise for Fans
In a heartwarming moment that aired over the weekend, the Beyond Paradise Christmas special featured an unexpected guest. Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, played by the esteemed actor Don Warrington, made a surprise appearance at the wedding of DI Humphrey Goodman and his partner, Martha Lloyd.
The scene saw Humphrey, reprised by Kris Marshall, visibly shocked as his former boss from the fictional island of Saint Marie arrived. "Oh crikey! Commissioner!" Humphrey exclaimed, to which Selwyn delivered his characteristically dry reply: "Nice of you to join us Inspector."
Marshall's Delight at the Reunion
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Kris Marshall expressed how much he had cherished working with Don Warrington during his time on the main show. "I'd always particularly enjoyed my scenes with Don," Marshall revealed.
He elaborated on their professional history, noting they had also shared the stage in the West End production of Glengarry Glen Ross. Marshall admitted that not working with Warrington was "one of the things I really missed about not doing Death in Paradise anymore." He described the dynamic between their characters as delightfully obtuse and wry, something he was thrilled to recreate for the spin-off.
Audience Reaction to the Cameo
The cameo was met with immense enthusiasm from viewers of the BBC show. On social media platform X, formerly Twitter, fans quickly shared their excitement.
One viewer praised the thoughtful plot detail, writing: "I love that Martha made sure to invite Commissioner Patterson... to her & Humphrey's wedding because she knew how much it would mean to Humphrey."
Others echoed the sentiment, with comments such as "Brilliant, loved to see Selwyn, excellent Christmas special" and "What a lovely #BeyondParadise Christmas special tonight. Nice touch bringing Selwyn in for the wedding... Hope he becomes a regular in the series."
The festive episode, which aired on 21 December 2025, successfully bridged the two series. While Death in Paradise is set on a Caribbean island, its spin-off Beyond Paradise follows Humphrey's life in Devon. This special reunion proved that the bonds formed on Saint Marie remain strong, much to the delight of both the actors and the audience.
