Meet Death in Paradise star Ralf Little's family

Death in Paradise star Ralf Little has been a familiar face on British TV for many years now, having also starred in The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. But what do you know about his life away from the cameras? Get the lowdown...

Is Ralf Little married?

Ralf is not married but he was engaged to American playwright Lindsey Ferrentino. The couple, engaged in 2018, first met in 2015 when Ralf was cast in one of Lindsey's productions alongside his Death in Paradise predecessor Kris Marshall. The pair caught each other's eyes and quickly began dating.

Speaking with the Mirror back in 2020, Ralf said: "We were in a country house, it was a big surprise. I planned it in advance. I had a total result with the ring, though. She said to me if she ever got engaged there's only one ring for her — her grandma's, it's absolutely beautiful."

In May 2024, however, it was suggested that the pair had split, with publications noting that Lindsey had stopped wearing her engagement ring and had unfollowed Ralf on Instagram. The duo are yet to address reports of a breakup.

Read more

• Death in Paradise's new spin-off show Return to Paradise's first trailer is here

• Death in Paradise star's new drama after show exit gets first look

• Death in Paradise stars out of costume: Josephine Jobert and Ralf Little's real-life looks

Does Ralf Little have children?

Ralf doesn't have any children but he is a devoted dog dad! There is Dottie, whom he shared with former partner Lindsey, and Dora, who the TV star came across on set in Guadalupe back in 2020 and took her in.

Chatting to HELLO! about the decision to take her in after finding her wandering the streets, he said: "We woke up in the morning and were like, 'There is not a chance we can give this girl to anyone else.' Honestly, she melted my icy cynical heart." Following Ralf's reported split from Lindsey, it's unclear if the Death in Paradise star continues to live with Dottie and Dora.

Ralf previously adopted a third dog he found in Guadalupe, named Suzy, but she sadly died after escaping from his home while being looked after by dogsitters.

What else is there to know about Ralf Little's family?

Ralf and his family grew up in Bury, a market town on the River Irwell in Greater Manchester. Both his parents were accountants, and he has two sisters, Rowena and Ceri. Sadly, though, Ceri died at the age of 14. The actor was just nine when Ceri fell 150ft to her death from a cliff during a family holiday to Cornwall.

Speaking on Radio 4 to presenter Reverend Richard Coles earlier this year, he opened up about his family's grief. He said: "It was devastating. It's incredibly difficult to recover from something like that, particularly as parents."

"Out of everyone in the family, I was the one that was affected least because I was nine years old. Kids are quite resilient anyway, but I just had stuff to get on with," he said, adding that he threw himself into extracurricular activities to distract himself.