Former Death in Paradise star Ardal O'Hanlon has taken a light-hearted swipe at the BBC drama's recurring plotlines, three years after leaving the show. The Irish actor, who played DI Jack Mooney from 2017 to 2020, joked on The One Show that he could predict the killer without reading the script due to the repetitive nature of the mysteries.
O'Hanlon, who appeared in 24 episodes featuring at least 30 murders, quipped: 'I didn't even have to read the script, I knew who did it.' He added that while filming, he often thought, 'Have we not done this plot before? Someone falling off a balcony again!' The comments drew laughter from co-stars and hosts.
Despite the playful dig, O'Hanlon insisted he 'loves' the show and credited its success to regularly rotating lead detectives. He explained: 'I think the secret of the show's success is constantly changing the lead detective, you know, before people get bored with them.'
Reflecting on his departure, O'Hanlon revealed it was always planned to last three series, with an extension into part of a fourth for the handover to Ralf Little's character. He described the filming as 'very gruelling' due to long periods away from home and harsh weather, but called it a 'lovely job to do.'
