Death in Paradise star returns to BBC show two years after exit

Death in Paradise star Don Warrington has announced his return to the series after two years away.

The actor has played Commissioner Selwyn Patterson on the cosy detective show since it started in 2011 – and after a break, he's set to make a comeback in the new season. His role was inadvertently confirmed by co-star Élizabeth Bourgine, who shared an image of the entire cast celebrating the wrap of the forthcoming season's production.

It was announced in 2024 that Warrington's character Commissioner Selwyn Patterson was leaving the cosy detective show due to a family crisis miles away from the series's fictional Caribbean location of Saint Marie.

Don Warrington is returning to 'Death in Paradise' (BBC)

However, the Rising Damp actor made a brief return in the following series, which led to confusion from viewers, who believed they'd had the wool pulled over their eyes regarding his exit,

Warrington addressed the confusion, telling The i: "That was just the storyline, nothing more. The producers thought it would be interesting to have Selwyn reach some kind of crisis, and then, after dealing with it, return. There was no Machiavellian intent."

Warrington was happy to learn how much viewers love his role in the show, though, adding: "It was certainly very nice to know that my character had penetrated into people's consciousness to that extent, and that they liked him."

He added: "It is rather nice to be liked."

Don Warrington is part of the cast of the forthcoming season of 'Death in Paradise' (Instagram)

Death in Paradise stars Don Gilet as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, the fifth lead that the show has had since it premiered in 2011. Previous lead stars include Ben Miller, Ardal O'Hanlon, Kris Marshall and Ralf Little.

Warrington recently praised the series for having two Black leads, saying the programme has "taken giant steps in giving a different picture of the world".

Don Gilet and Don Warrington in 'Death in Paradise' (BBC/Red Planet Pictures)

He told Radio Times: "Everyone realised the world had changed so we had to change with it. And it has given the series a richness culturally.

"What we are trying to do here is present people of colour in a way that is unclichéd – they are simply people getting on with the job and in that sense their colour is irrelevant."

The new season is expected to air in January, following a Christmas special.