Why did Kris Marshall leave Death in Paradise? Reasons explored

Kris Marshall left Death in Paradise after several seasons because the demands of filming in Guadeloupe and his family life stopped fitting together. Death in Paradise, filmed mainly on the Caribbean Island for about six months each year, kept him far from his home in the UK for extended periods.

While his young family initially moved with him, that arrangement became less practical as his children got older. His son, Thomas, had spent half his life in the Caribbean, and his daughter, Elsie, was born during filming, making it increasingly difficult to maintain a routine that worked for school and home life.

Marshall and his wife had agreed early on that his role would last only “a few years” long enough to enjoy the experience, but not indefinitely. As school became a priority, the family chose a more stable setup back in England.

He emphasized that his decision was about real needs, not conflict with the show, and later said he sometimes questioned whether he made the right choice but stood by it.

Family life became hard while filming abroad for Death in Paradise

Filming in Guadeloupe meant long periods away from the UK. Kris Marshall’s family joined him for some shoots, but keeping children in a Caribbean routine while also planning for school in England became difficult. That stretched the family’s ability to stay settled and maintain regular schooling.

His son’s schooling influenced the decision

Kris Marshall has said his son was beginning to adapt too much to island life, refusing shoes, drinking coconut water, and preferring beach life, which made him worry the child was falling behind in core school subjects in England. That concern for proper schooling was a clear reason he stepped back from Death in Paradise.

The exit was planned and communicated

This was not an abrupt break or a public dispute. Marshall and his wife had discussed how long he would do the show, and he told producers his role would be for a limited time.

He later admitted he sometimes wondered if leaving was right, but the choice was deliberate and shared with those involved in the “Death in Paradise” series.

He returned to the Death in Paradise's character in a different setting

Kris Marshall did not completely forget the character. Several years later, in the BBC spin-off Beyond Paradise, he was again set in the UK, with DI Humphrey Goodman. That move shows that he was leaving due to work-life balance issues and not because he disliked the job.

Trending

Kris Marshall exited Death in Paradise principally due to family considerations. Staying in a foreign land made school and a standard home life challenging, and he and his spouse had outlined that his job would be temporary.

He has shared the details of his plans with the production and has since reprised the role in a spin-off in the UK, demonstrating that he managed to remain in the role without disrupting his family life.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback