Kris Marshall has opened up about his role as DI Humphrey Goodman, which he has played for over a decade, warning that 'every character has a shelf life'. The 53-year-old actor first appeared in the Death in Paradise universe in 2014, taking over from Ben Miller, and played the lead investigator for three series before departing in 2017 due to the strain of filming in the Caribbean on his family.
Marshall later reprised the role in the BBC spin-off Beyond Paradise, set in Devon. Despite earlier in his career getting 'itchy feet' and leaving shows like My Family after five seasons, he now values 'solidity' in his roles and life. He told The i Newspaper last year: 'The kind of wanderlust I had early in my career is mostly gone. I'm in a really happy place.'
However, he acknowledged that all characters have an expiry date. 'That's not to say I don't have a personal feeling that all characters have a shelf life – because I do – but I'm really enjoying where I am at the moment, working on a show I love, with people I love,' he said.
Marshall also believes there is 'still a place' for comforting police dramas on TV, noting that it takes 'real skill' to produce such a programme. He explained: 'You have to make it palatable for a broad demographic, you have to create a puzzle, and peril, and solve the puzzle – and do all that within a BBC hour.'
The actor, who was raised in Bath, said filming Beyond Paradise has enhanced his mental health as it transports him back to the West Country. He told Principle Magazine last year: 'I use Devon and Cornwall to keep my mental health stable.' The fourth series of Beyond Paradise concludes on May 1.
