Beyond Paradise’s Kris Marshall defends show: 'It's hard to bring together'

Speaking to Radio Times magazine, Marshall said: “I have a theory – not a theory, actually, it’s a fact – that to make a show like Death in Paradise or Beyond Paradise, that has a broad demographic, that you can sit down and watch with your kids, that bonds all family members in the room, is incredibly hard to do.

"And to have people scorn it… I’m fine with it now but it bothered me a bit in the past. These shows are hard to make and they bring people together – that’s got to be lauded a little bit, right?”

Set in Shipton Abbott, the Death in Paradise spin-off follows Humphrey as he tackles all kinds of weird and wonderful cases, so is that part of the show's charm?

Marshall said of Beyond Paradises's success: “It’s a show that harks back to a world that we still wish Britain was, a place where the world doesn’t take itself quite so seriously. The world has got too binary. It’s less nuanced. The world today takes itself so f***ing seriously.”

Of course, Marshall played the role of Humphrey in Death in Paradise from 2014 to 2017, reprising the role for the UK-set series which premiered last year. "To be in a position where you can earn a living doing what you love is good enough," Marshall says, "but to then be in a position to choose how you earn that living – that’s nirvana".

The new series is set to not only see some perplexing cases set to unfold but will also follow on from season 1's tumultuous time for Humphrey and wife Martha (Sally Bretton), who were navigating relationship woes and an ongoing IVF journey.

As per the season 2 synopsis: "Shipton Abbott continues to keep DI Humphrey Goodman and his team busy, with a baffling new crime each episode. From a death on a steam train to a missing teacher, the team have their work cut out. Even more so with Police HQ’s threat of the local station house closure hanging over them – the pressure is on to get results.

"Meanwhile, Humphrey and Martha’s journey to find their own version of a family continues as they explore the possibility of fostering. Martha’s mother Anne throws herself into the world of online dating, and a well-meant gesture from Esther’s daughter Zoe threatens to uncover a long-held secret…"

Read more:

• Beyond Paradise confirms season 2 return date and shares first trailer
• Love Rat star teases “horrific, unforgivable” betrayal in Channel 5 drama

The BBC previously teased that the new season will include "a shocking crime on a steam train, an arson attack predicted by a medium and the baffling disappearance of the local fishing legend".

Not only that, but the upcoming season will also boast a raft of new guest stars including Peter Davison (All Creatures Great and Small), Kevin Bishop (The Kevin Bishop Show), Adam Fogerty (The Gallows Pole) and Emma Fielding (Van der Valk), to name a few.

Beyond Paradise season 2 will begin on BBC One and iPlayer on Friday 22nd March 2024. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.

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