Death in Paradise fans are in for a treat after discovering Ralf Little's hidden-gem comedy. Years before he took on the role of DI Neville Parker, who fans have claimed to be the 'best' detective and their favourite of the series yet, Ralf starred in a British sitcom.
Ralf Little's role in The Cafe
He co-wrote and starred in The Cafe, which first aired in 2011 and ran for two seasons. It was based in a Weston-super-Mare cafe run by Mary (June Watson), Carol (Ellie Haddington) and Sarah (Michelle Terry).
Ralf played Richard, Sarah's former childhood sweetheart, who was a care home assistant by day and guitarist by night. However, the synopsis goes on to tease, his "feathers are ruffled when fellow class-mate and former love rival, John (Daniel Ings), now a successful events manager in London, returns to Weston to visit his elderly mother".
Fans praise the 'lost gem'
The Cafe has been hailed by fans as "brilliant," with one calling it a "lost gem of a series". One fan said: "The successful execution of the 'light touch' in comedy requires intelligence, confidence and talent. Well done to you to all involved."
Another said: "I would love to see more shows like this one." They continued: "Not much happens and that is what I like about it - it is simple. The characters are likable and you want to know what will happen to them. The little seaside town is idyllic, the plot can be summarized quickly, uneventful but not in a negative way, not boring. This is nice and easy entertainment."
Yet another said: "It took me till the third episode to show how wonderful and quirky this program is. The characters are all adorable and funny, adding to this ensemble cast. As usual in any British program, the exterior shots are breathtaking. The location is a character all on its own."
Ralf Little's career highlights
As well as starring in Death in Paradise and The Cafe, one of Ralf's most well-known roles was Antony Royle in The Royle Family from 1998 to 2010. He also starred in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, and has narrated several programmes, including Monkey Life, Our Yorkshire Farm, and It's Me or the Dog.
He was the longest serving detective on Death in Paradise, succeeding Ben Miller, Kris Marshall and Ardal O'Hanlon, before Don Gilet stepped into the role in 2025. DI Neville's final scenes saw him sail off into the sunset with DS Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert) and start a new chapter together.
Ralf shared at the time: "The secret's out! My time on Saint Marie has come to an end. But, what an end! New adventures await Neville and he got to sail off into the sunset with his best friend, and, you know, who knows what happens for them next!"
"I just want to say, just an enormous thank you to everyone who watched and supported the show. When I arrived, four-and-a-half years ago, I knew I had big shoes to fill."
"Coming into a series beloved by millions, including me, was a huge responsibility. I had no idea if viewers would take to my interpretation of Neville's character and indeed to me, so it was quite a relief the response has been overwhelming."
"It has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to bring Neville Parker to all of you and to share his really quite profound journey with you. I can't thank you all enough for the support over the last four-and-a-half years and as Neville heads off for new challenges and adventures and I head off for new challenges and adventures."
The Cafe is available to buy on Amazon Prime Video. Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
