Death in Paradise fans have issued a demand for change, calling for more recurring local characters on the fictional island of Sainte Marie. Since the BBC show began in 2011, only Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) and Catherine Bordey (Élizabeth Bourgine) have appeared in every series.
Fans Question Lack of Local Regulars
On a Reddit thread, a fan asked: "Apart from Selwyn and Catherine, have there been any other recurring characters in DiP? As in, are there Saint Marie residents who have been brought back in subsequent seasons? I'm not really referring to characters who are brought in for multiple episodes to fulfil a storyline (such as Sophie for Neville, or Mervin's brother, for instance)."
Fans quickly responded, noting that the taxi driver and ambulance staff appear frequently but lack credited roles. One user commented: "See, that makes me wonder why they haven't made him sort of a character instead of just an extra. He could add some local flavour to the show. Give us a better sense of island life, if you know what I mean."
Another added: "I was thinking of him too (the taxi man), but he feels more like a background extra than a proper 'character' most of the time tbh. Still wild how a tiny island somehow has infinite one-episode guest stars but almost no regulars."
Calls for Depth and Breadth
A third fan wrote: "YES. This is what I mean. Why are there barely any locals? It would give the series some depth and breadth." The demand comes as the show continues to feature a rotating cast of detectives, including DI Richard Poole (Ben Miller), DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), DI Jack Mooney (Ardal O'Hanlon), DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little), and the current DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet).
Series 16 in Production
The current series is still in production, with the cast filming season 16 in the Caribbean. Earlier this year, the BBC confirmed the show was recommissioned for two more series and two Christmas specials. Tim Key, Executive Producer at Red Planet Pictures, said: "We remain incredibly proud of the show and the team that makes it, and delighted that the audience continues to love it as much as we do. The response to our latest series has been wonderful, and we can't wait to get started again - we've got something very special lined up to kick off our 16th season, with a big surprise setting it up in our Christmas special. Watch this space..."
Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
