Death In Paradise's new inspector seen for first time after Ralf Little quit hit show

Don Gilet is fully set for his debut as lead detective Mervin Wilson as bosses have revealed a first look at the show's new inspector.

After a four-year tenure in the show as DI Neville Parker, actor announced he would no longer appear in the beloved programme. After several weeks of speculation, former star was , with a feature-length instalment set to mark his debut in the series on .

Now a new snap of Don in character has been revealed to introduce his character, who will be worlds away from Neville. Unlike his predecessor, whose trademark attire was a shirt, tie and blazer, Mervin will sport a more casual figure with a bucket hat.

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Speaking about his upcoming appearance, Don has said: "I am delighted to be stepping into the shoes of the Detective Inspector. It’s been a real pleasure filming alongside the hardworking cast and crew." He then added: "I can’t wait for the fans to see how DI Mervin Wilson fares on the island, and what secrets may unfold."

Don, who played serial killer Lucas Johnson in EastEnders, previously expressed his excitement over taking on the new role: "Being offered the new lead role in Death in Paradise feels like a deeply loved and incredibly precious jewel has been placed in my hands. This is a big show, with a big heart and the love continually grows for it."

Ralf Little, who for leaving Death In Paradise during a chat on , had also broken his silence after news of Don Gilet joining the series had been made public and he welcomed his successor into the Death In Paradise family with a supportive statement: "The new detective is the wonderful Don Gilet! And I just wanna say, from me to you, Don, I hope you have the most wonderful time."

"It’s the most magical experience, and I just hope you just get everything out of it, and I wish you the best of luck, I’m absolutely sure you’re gonna be magnificent. Cheers, mate", he concluded.

This comes after fans received happy news about , Return To Paradise, which is the Australian rendition of the programme and features Home and Away star Anna Samson aka DI Mackenzie Clarke. Accused of evidence tampering, she finds herself forced to return to her despised hometown of Dolphin Cove.

The cast also includes Lloyd Griffith (Ted Lasso), Tai Hara (Home and Away), Catherine McClements (Total Control), Celia Ireland (Wentworth), Andrea Demetriades (Mother and Son), and Aaron McGrath (Gold Diggers). The series is set to

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