Death in Paradise star Ardal O'Hanlon has revealed the truth behind his departure from the BBC series and shared his thoughts on his successor as Detective Jack Mooney.
Speaking exclusively whilst on tour with his stand-up show "Not Himself," the comedian reflected on his time filming the cherished Caribbean-set drama.
The Irish actor also touched upon his appearance in the Death in Paradise spin-off, Return to Paradise, admitting, "I couldn't believe it when I got the job in the first place on Death in Paradise. Like, it was a very definite pinch-me moment.
"It's an iconic show on the BBC, and it's seen all over the world. And I remember when I first saw that show coming on, with Ben Miller as the detective; I was very jealous.
"I thought, 'Why do I never get asked to do things like that?' and then so fast forward, like five or six years, and I get the call from the executive producer, and I really can't believe it," reports the Express.
Despite enduring "very harsh" weather conditions during filming, Ardal branded the experience a "lovely job to do".
He added, "The other brilliant thing was just the lifestyle. I was living this very different life. I live a pretty suburban life in Dublin most of the year, and, you know, we can barely go outside because of the rain.
"So, living in the Caribbean for up to six months of the year was just so special, and even though we were working very hard, and, as I said, the conditions were quite extreme, it was just, it was just such an eye opener."
When asked whether Jack Mooney leaving the show was a mutual decision, Ardal explained, "From day one, it was always going to be like three series.
"As it turned out, I ended up doing part of a fourth series as well, before the handover to Ralf Little's character. So to be honest with you, like you just wouldn't be fit to do any more than that."
He added, "It's very gruelling, and you're away from home for a very long time. So, you know, that was always the plan, and there was really very little that was going to change my mind about that."
Ardal went on to say that he believes the reason for the show's success is the constant rotation of detectives.
He stated, "I think the secret of the show's success is constantly changing the lead detective, you know, before people get bored with them."
Beyond his acting work and recent appearance in Return to Paradise, Ardal is currently touring the UK with his comedy show.
Ardal enthusiastically revealed about the tour, "I suppose it's where I'm at in my life. I think, like any stand-up show, it's just a collection of jokes and funny bits and routines. But I suppose it's all loosely about me, and sort of looking back a little bit about how I arrived at this point, I suppose, as a comedian.
"I suppose I kind of pinch myself that I'm still doing this at my age after all these years. I've been doing this for almost 35 years, and a lot of people don't think it's a very grown-up job, but I couldn't not do it."
Ardal O'Hanlon is on tour with Not Himself until March 2026. Tickets are available from https://www.ardalohanlon.com/tour.
