Ralf Little, best known for his roles in Death in Paradise, The Royle Family, and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, has been a household name since joining the BBC sitcom The Royle Family in 1998 at age 17. He later appeared in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and joined Death in Paradise in 2020 as DI Neville Parker, leaving in 2024. This weekend, he is set to appear on Sunday Brunch with Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer.
Childhood Tragedy
Little suffered a devastating loss at age nine when his elder sister Ceri died at 14 after falling from a 150-foot clifftop during a family holiday in Cornwall. Speaking on his podcast with Will Mellor, he became emotional, recalling how the tragedy shattered his family. He said: "My parents were fantastic with us and did the best that they could. But their relationship broke down really in a really difficult way... they had three kids and an idyllic family life and then one of the kids was alive one week and dead the next." He noted that the loss drove him to pursue greatness.
Death in Paradise Exit
Little left Death in Paradise after four years, with Don Gilet taking over as DI Mervin Wilson. He stated: "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." His mother feared this would end his career, suggesting he return to medical school. He revealed to The I: "My mum's done this my whole career - she's always worried about me. She went: 'So, I've been thinking, now that your career's over, you could go back to medical school this September and qualify in five years.'"
Medical Dreams and Football
Before acting, Little studied at the University of Manchester Medical School with ambitions to become a doctor, but dropped out after landing the role of Anthony Royle. His brother is a doctor and his sister a nurse. He told The Telegraph in 2021: "Being a doctor is a calling. I was serious about it. Acting was just a fun hobby." He also played semi-professional football for Maidstone United in the early 2000s.
