star Tobi Bakare, who plays JP Hooper, will make his epic return to the series tonight – and fans are thrilled about it. JP originally left Saint Marie with his wife and twin daughters after getting promoted within the police force.
However, the police sergeant has confirmed he will appear in one episode, but could he be here to stay? The upcoming series will also see Don Gilet make his official debut as the lead detective, DI Mervin Wilson, after taking over from Ralf Little, who played DI Neville Parker.
Speaking to Express.co.uk and other press before the first episode, actor Tobi discussed why he felt it was right to return to the role and whether he would appear in the Death in Paradise spin-off, Beyond Paradise, which would see him reunite with Kris Marshall.
Tobi and Kris, who plays DI Humphrey Goodman in Beyond Paradise, initially worked together in Death in Paradise before their characters made their exits. However, years later, Kris reprised his role in the show spin-off, which is set and filmed in Devon and Cornwall.
Teasing his appearance in Beyond Paradise, the actor shared: “The spin-off of Death in Paradise… the franchise of Death in Paradise has been so interesting, I was like, ‘Wow, this is some Marvel stuff.’
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JP Hooper made his return to Death in Paradise (Image: BBC)
“Look for me, Red Planet, the production company that runs this whole thing, I just have deep respect for them. They’re just a very good production company, and I’ll always have my ear open to suggestions, and if it makes sense for myself, my family, my career, and all things align, then yeah, you might see me in Cornwall with my shorts on.”
When asked why he wanted to return to play JP, Tobi continued, “It was the fact that I was around the season before; I had a little episode in the season before.
“I always say, you know when a storyline makes sense, an actor serves a story, and as much as the proximity between the two episodes, this one and the previous one, I thought was a bit much.
“You know, as an actor, sometimes you can get insecure and kind of go, ‘I don’t want people to think I’m just like trying to eat off Death in Paradise so much, I want to show them I’ve moved on’.”
He added: “But to be honest with you, as I said, the show is phenomenal. Tim [Key] is phenomenal. The storyline is great, and Death in Paradise is home. It’s a second home for me, so it’s always going to be a privilege to be asked to come back. It just had to make a bit of sense, and it made sense, and I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this’.”
Kris Marshall in Beyond Paradise (Image: BBC)
The synopsis for the series, which begins tonight, teases: “As the sun beats down on the shimmering sea, we’re transported back to the sun-drenched Caribbean island of Saint Marie, and this time with a new Detective Inspector in tow; but will DI Mervin Wilson remain in the job for long?
“Following the recently cracked case of ‘Who shot the Santas?’, along with the revelation that his estranged mother has recently passed away, Mervin is ready to get back home and leave the island for good. But when a case close to the hearts of those at the station presents itself, he may be tempted to extend his stay…
“A Londoner through and through, Mervin continues to ruffle feathers but swiftly proves his worth and shows hints of a more vulnerable side to his hardened exterior while working with the team to help solve some of the island’s most confounding cases yet.”
It continues: “Meanwhile, Commissioner Selwyn Patterson must deal with momentous news from the Chief Commissioner in Jamaica; Naomi finds herself at a crossroads when an old flame reappears in her life; Darlene becomes a mentor when a new officer joins the ranks; and in her role as Mayor, Catherine must work to defend Selwyn and the team; and with the opportunity to learn more about his mother’s life, Mervin begins to discover things may not be all that they seem in Saint Marie…”
Death in Paradise airs tonight at 9pm on One.