Death in Paradise’s returning star teases moving family to Guadeloupe - exclusive

Tobi Bakare delighted fans when he returned to Death in Paradise as Sergeant JP Hooper for season 14.

The actor, who was a series regular before leaving the show in 2021, has opened up about returning to Guadeloupe for filming, and what his future family plans are should he and his wife Prisca, who has also previously starred on the show, return to the franchise permanently.

Chatting to HELLO! about his wife joining the show as his on-screen partner, he welcomed the idea of Prisca coming back to the series: “You know what? That would be remarkable if she was to come back. We definitely would have to move to Guadeloupe after that!”

Praising Prisca for her guest spot on the show, he continued: “She was just great. She took to everyone and if she felt that she wanted to come back on the show then that's up to her. She can make that choice and I'll be the one serving in the background with the children which I guess it's my turn!”

Of course, the Caribbean isn’t the only option for the couple, as the acting duo could also find a spot in the show’s spin-offs, Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise, which are filmed in Cornwall, UK and Australia respectively.

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He said: “I'll always have my ear open to suggestions. If it makes sense for myself, my family, my career and all things aligned then yeah, you might see me in Cornwall!”

However, after quitting the show in 2021, what convinced Tobi to return to the series in the first place? “[Producer Tim Key] gave me a call,” he explained. “And he was saying, ‘Oh yeah we've got this great story and I was like, ‘Okay…’. He just has this infectious way of tapping into your heart. I don't know how he does it. I don't know why. He has the key to my heart. I can't tell my wife that but he does!

“When a storyline makes sense, an actor serves a storyline… I don't want people to think I'm just trying to eat off Death in Paradise but to be honest with you, the show is phenomenal. Tim is phenomenal. The storyline was great. It’s home, it's the second home for me. So it’s always going to be a privilege to be asked to come back.”

Death in Paradise returns on 31 January 2025 on BBC One and iPlayer