josephine dip© Photo: BBC

Joséphine Jobert reveals she almost turned down offer to return to Death in Paradise

The actress reprised her role for the tenth-anniversary special

Senior Features Writer
February 10, 2021

Joséphine Jobert has revealed she almost didn't accept the offer to return to BBC's Death in Paradise

Speaking to HELLO! in an exclusive interview and photoshoot for this month's digital cover, the actress, who plays DS Florence Cassell in the show, admitted that she initially "wasn't sure" about going back.

MORE: Death in Paradise star Joséphine Jobert shares her thoughts on next detective being a woman

"When I received the call, I was very surprised. They asked me if I'd like to come back for the whole series. They said there was no pressure, to take my time. At first, I wasn't sure about going back to do it, just because I'd left, I'd said goodbye, so there was no reason for me to come back," she told HELLO!.

WATCH: Death in Paradise star Josephine Jobert reveals moment she panicked during filming

"But then I thought, I love the show and I have to do it, especially for the tenth anniversary. I was really happy. Just to see the people I know again, and to see Florence again, because I missed her. And I didn't know what happened to her after she left, after she had lost her fiancé. So I was happy to know what happened."

MORE: Death in Paradise fans react to Ben Miller's return: 'Best episode ever'

MORE: Death in Paradise star Josephine Jobert reveals moment she panicked during series ten filming

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© Photo: HELLO!

Joséphine was this month's HELLO! digital cover star

eThe actress reprised her role as Florence for the tenth-anniversary special, two years after she waved goodbye to the island of Saint Marie at the end of series eight. 

Expanding on her reasons for leaving the drama, she said: "You know, I had all my time on the show with my five years. We were in Guadeloupe for five months. It's great, but it's quite long, and being away from everything and friends and family, I was struggling a bit. 

"I thought I gave everything I could to Florence and I did everything I could to tell her story. And as an actor you think, 'Okay, I want to move on and I want to do new things.' That's the reason why, it was nothing dramatic. Nothing went wrong with the show, it was just a personal decision to move on."

Death in Paradise continues on Thursday at 9pm on BBC One. 

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