Ardal O’Hanlon left in 2020, to be replaced by – but that wasn’t the last viewers would be seeing of him.
The Irish actor reprised his role as Detective Inspector Jack Mooney, this time playing the Metropolitan Police boss of Anna Samson’s character Mackenzie Clarke – but while she was shooting her scenes on a sunny beach near Sydney, Ardal recorded his remotely in England. Despite him not joining other cast members in Australia, fans went wild for his return, with many freely admitting they’d “lost their minds”.
How did it all begin for Ardal – and where is he now? The 59-year-old had a long-standing acting career decades before Death in Paradise or any associated spin-offs, which many fans knew nothing about.
Within a few years of securing a degree in communications at Dublin University, he’d begun to make a name for himself on the comedy scene, founding his own club with two co-stars in the city’s International Bar. In 1994, he won an award for best new act of the year – and within months, he came to the attention of producers who head-hunted him for the role of Father Ted.
He was cast as Father Dougal MacGuire – and during filming sessions was often mistaken for a genuine priest, with hilarious results. One seller from a store he popped into offered him a pair of shoes for free, believing he was a cash-strapped man of God.
:
Ardal O’Hanlan is a Return to Paradise fave (Image: BBC)
Ardal stayed in the role for three years, but admitted later that he’d tried to distance himself from it after leaving.
He opted to appear in Big Bad World, alongside Emma Fielding and Beth Goddard, followed by a six year starring stint in the comedy series My Hero, where he could be seen juggling a superhero lifestyle with a polar opposite incognito one.
At the 2005 British Comedy Awards, he was put on the map again after Jonathan Ross publicly mocked his appearance in sitcom Blessed.
However, with a string of TV and radio performances under his belt, he was undeterred – and he went on to diversify further into writing and presenting.
Don’t miss… [BEHIND THE SCENES]
Ardal O’Hanlan on Death In Paradise (Image: BBC)
He notably created the RTE series Leagues Apart, which saw him investigate passionate football rivalries, and penned a novel about the adventures of a teen boy, named Talk of the Town.
He appeared in an episode of , albeit just as a cat-like creature, and in 2015 launched his own comedy festival.
Yet it wasn’t until 2017 when the announcement that he was replacing Death in Paradise DI made him a fully fledged household name.
He was no longer known solely by followers of the comedy circuit, or nostalgic Father Ted fans, but by millions across the nation.
Despite achieving huge fame, he has a down-to-earth lifestyle, remaining married to his teenage sweetheart Melanie, with whom he has three children.
He hasn’t lost sight of his traditional Irish roots either, and this year presented his first ever show entirely in the Irish language; Inis na nIontas saw him introduce viewers to picturesque scenery on the islands off the Irish coast.
Where is he headed next? Return to Paradise is widely expected to be back for a second series in mid to late 2025 and, although nothing has been confirmed as yet, fans hope to see him on-screen again.