Kris Marshall has spoken about his decision to leave Death in Paradise. The 47-year-old actor starred as DI Humphrey Goodman on the BBC series from 2014 until 2017. During filming for the show, he would be joined by his wife Hannah, and their two children, Thomas and Elsie, on the island of Guadeloupe – and it seems his family were a major factor in Kris's decision to quit. Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, the star admitted: "I realised I had to get my son to school. He was becoming a bit too Caribbean – he refused to wear shoes and would only drink coconut water and eat pineapple."
He continued: "He was very good on the beach but not so good with Maths and English, so I decided that it was time to get him to school. So the show had to go, really. But six months later I'm standing on a film set in a car park in Dagenham thinking at 4 o'clock in the morning thinking, 'Have I made the right decision?'"
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Kris first arrived on the show as DI Humphrey Goodman in 2013 during the third season, when he was brought in to solve the murder of his predecessor, DI Richard Poole (played by Ben Miller). He was succeeded in the role by Ardal O'Hanlon – and last year revealed the one thing that "displeased" him about the new detective.
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Chatting at the screening of his upcoming drama, Sanditon, Kris joked: "One thing I was most displeased about and continue to be displeased about over Mr O'Hanlon's tenure is his lack of a jacket."
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Kris shares two children with wife Hannah Dodkins
He continued: "There's no jacket. Anyone can do it in short sleeves in 40 degree heat, it's unfair." His co-star, Anne Reid, joked that Kris himself only wore a relaxed linen jacket during filming, to which he replied: "It was not relaxed! All I can say is what's going to happen next to Mr O'Hanlon? Is he going to be doing it in budgie smugglers?"
All joking aside, the My Family actor was also very complimentary about the show, saying: "I have seen it and it remains greater than any one actor. It is on all the time. I think it’s sort of one of those shows that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It’s not because of the sunshine, but it certainly helps. It’s not because of the fun storylines, but that certainly helps. It’s not because of any actor but that certainly helps."