BBC Death in Paradise fans say the same thing as 'best' detective makes return

Death in Paradise enthusiasts were over the moon as Ralf Little made a comeback to the beloved BBC show when an episode from series nine aired.

On Tuesday evening, audiences were captivated by Ralf's debut as Detective Neville Parker. The episode featured Neville landing on Saint Marie to investigate the murder of a young woman.

With former lead Jack Mooney, portrayed by Ardal O'Hanlon, out of the picture, it fell to DI Parker to unravel the mystery and apprehend the killer.

Originally dispatched from Manchester to wrap up the case swiftly, DI Parker quickly discovered that the charms of island life weren't for him. His plans to leave were thwarted when signs of foul play emerged, forcing him to prolong his stay to probe further into what turned out to be a murder.

Fans barely waited a moment into the episode before flocking to social media to express their excitement at seeing Ralf grace their screens once more, reports Wales Online.

One fan tweeted: "@deathinparadise @RalfLittle congratulations watching a rerun tonight."

Another chimed in with "#Deathinparadise with Ralph Little," while a third quipped: "Ralf Little is doing a bang up job as the new Mr Bean. #deathinparadise #mrbean."

A different viewer remarked: "Good evening Inspector Indeed! I see I'm just in time for the best part of #DeathInParadise."

Echoing the sentiment, another added: "Watching repeat of @deathinparadise on @BBCOne with @RalfLittle, what a shame you have replaced him and so many of the original team.... this was the best."

Ralf Little, who played the longest-serving detective on the series, confirmed his departure from the show in a statement released earlier this year. He took to Instagram to say: "My time on Saint Marie has come to an end what an end! New adventures await Neville, and he got to sail away into the sunset with his best friend.

"Who knows what happens for them next! I want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who watched and supported the show when I arrived four and a half years ago."

The actor continued: "Coming into a series beloved by millions was a huge responsibility and I had no idea whether viewers would take to my interpretation of Neville's character, and indeed to me.

"It was quite a relief that the response has been overwhelming, and it's been an absolute privilege and a pleasure to bring Neville Parker to all of you and to share his quite profound journey with you."

He thanked his fans, saying: "I can't thank you all enough for the support over the last four and a half years. It's been one of the most magical and profound experiences of my entire life."

Speaking about his successor and the future of the show, Ralf added: "The team that makes Death in Paradise - the producers, writers, directors, crew, guest cast, and my magnificent co-stars - they know what they're doing, and the future is in good hands."

He concluded: "I can't wait to see what happens next. It's been the ride of a lifetime."

Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.