Ben Miller has addressed a possible DI Richard Poole return to Death in Paradise. The actor, 60, quickly became a fan-favourite on the BBC hit crime drama, but fans were left heartbroken when the detective was killed off at the beginning of season three. He was murdered with an ice pick during a university reunion, and his successor DI Humphrey Goodman, played by Kris Marshall, solved the case.
Return in Anniversary Special and Prequel Hopes
Despite being killed off, Miller did return to the BBC drama in a one-off special for its 10th anniversary. When asked about the possibility of exploring his character further in a prequel, he admitted: “If I wasn’t so ruddy old, I could play him in a prequel! I loved the character and I loved the show. It just came at a slightly unfortunate time in my life.”
Speaking to Radio Times, he added: “But I do really miss that character. And funnily enough, Rob Thorogood [the Paraverse creator and writer] has carried on writing stories for Richard Poole, which is quite fun, so that’s a nice way to relive the character again.”
Reason for Leaving Death in Paradise
Miller made the decision to leave the BBC series set in the Caribbean because he wanted to preserve his relationship, and he was about to become a father. "Two weeks after I arrived in the Caribbean, Jessica found out that she was pregnant," he revealed to Digital Spy. "I've just got divorced, and I've finally met somebody, and now I'm on the other side of the world, and we're having a baby. That's a proper curveball to be on the end of. So I knew what I had to do to get my wife back - quit Death in Paradise!"
Move to Professor T and Future Seasons
Following Miller’s exit from Death in Paradise, he landed the lead role in the hit ITV crime drama Professor T. The series, which premiered in summer 2021, stars Miller as esteemed criminologist Professor Jasper Tempest, who assists Cambridge police on local cases, while living with complications from his obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
The star recently confirmed that the hit show would be making a return as he announced that not only for season five but season six was also in development. During an appearance on BBC The One Show, Miller said: "We've got season five that will hopefully be coming out in the autumn." He added: "I mean, spoiler alert, we're actually working on season six. It's a very exciting situation to be in."
Executive producer Jo McGrath hinted: "Season 5 will prove to be a momentous one for Professor T, both personally and professionally, and the series will climax with one of its trademark series finale episodes guaranteed to keep audiences glued." Death in Paradise can be streamed on BBC iPlayer.
