The executive producer of Death in Paradise and its spin-off series, Beyond Paradise, Tim Key, has praised lead actor Kris Marshall, who plays DI Humphrey Goodman. Beyond Paradise, which has returned to screens with its second series, follows the detective and his fiancee Martha Lloyd (played by Sally Bretton), as they embark on a new life in the quaint town of Shipton Abbott.
Tim Key is full of admiration for Kris's portrayal of the character, attributing much of the audience's connection with Humphrey to Kris's exceptional acting talent. In a previous interview, he expressed his thoughts, saying: "It's a lot to do with Kris, he's an amazing actor. Those great actors have something: whatever the story is, you want to be sat in the room with them."
"If they're on screen in a bar, you want to be in that bar and if they're in conversation, you want to be a part of that conversation, too. You're drawn to them, and Kris has that in abundance."
DI Humphrey Goodman is a beloved figure among Death in Paradise fans, known for his warm and humorous nature. Tim sees him as a standout character, which fueled his decision to revisit Humphrey and Martha's story after they left Saint Marie.
He elaborated: "Humphrey has this unerring zest for life, people are drawn to that positive energy. Humphrey was always a special character, so why not go back and see what he's up to?"
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Beyond Paradise takes place years after Death in Paradise, set against the backdrop of Devon, delving deeper into the lives and relationships of DI Humphrey and Martha as they face various challenges together.
Tim was adamant that the on-screen rapport between the lead actors was pivotal for the success of the new series.
He remarked: "When Sally Bretton joined the show as his love interest Martha Lloyd, we could just see the amazing chemistry they had together."
Series one saw both characters immerse themselves in their professional lives to avoid dealing with the recent tragedy of losing a baby.
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Delving deeper into the plot, he added: "We explore this in all sorts of different ways, particularly through their journey wanting to start a family and become parents."
"We wanted to tell an honest story of how hard this is, and what the definition of family means."
"They bring such truth and heart and warmth to that story that we knew we could do something surprising which people wouldn't expect from the show, alongside what people absolutely do expect, such as the puzzles and warm-hearted fun."
"Their life journey is very truthful and very relatable, and the show is a glorious mix of emotions."
Despite dealing with the loss of their unborn child, series two sees Humphrey and Martha stronger than ever as they embark on a new journey of fostering a child.
Beyond Paradise airs on Friday at 9pm on BBC One.
