Ralf Little is now Death in Paradise’s longest-serving detective, having starred on the show since 2020, and while there have been some reports questioning when his character DI Neville Parker will be leaving the island of St Marie, the show’s recent guest star opened up about why the show is made all the better of Ralf’s part in it.
Sean Maguire returned to the show 13 years after starring in the pilot for the 100th episode, and chatted to HELLO! about Ralf’s importance on set. He explained: “Ralf Little… is just such a top guy and a great leader on set, a great number one on the call sheet. I don't know if everybody knows, but when you're number one on the call sheet, it's a bit like being the team captain, and he was a good leader, a thoroughly nice guy, and we had a blast.”
He continued: “Some actors can be great actors, but then they're like, ‘Well I'm not in charge of anything.’ But just taking that responsibility… when we were filming a particular scene, as glorious and gorgeous as it is there, it's not an easy show to shoot.
“It might look like it is, but there are a lot of factors, sun and sand don't make easy filming, as gorgeous as they are. Where they shoot the police station, this is so bizarre, but there are loads of chickens and cockerels making noise... so you're filming these big scenes where they explain everything.
“Ralf’s got this big four-page speech with all of us there and all of this different stuff going on - but then the church bells would go and we'd have to stop and pick up, or the cockerels would [make noises] or there'd be an aeroplane and then somebody's mobile phone. Ralf was just really good at going, ‘Come on everybody.’
“He’s generous, saying, ‘These actors have got their big stuff now let's give them that,’ I just think it's a mark of a pro and I really enjoyed hanging out with him and working with him.”
Chatting in an Instagram Q&A, Ralf previously opened up about when he might be leading the series, explaining that when the time comes that he does have to leave the BBC murder mystery drama, he will land his own spin-off show - like his predecessor, Kris Marshall.
He said: “I mean, there's been no plans discussed for the future either way yet, but if the day comes when I actually have to leave the show, let's hope they've – fingers crossed – got plans for me for another one."