Following his festive debut, Death In Paradise’s new detective continues to make waves on the Caribbean island of Saint Marie – especially among his new colleagues.
Ex-EastEnders star Don Gilet plays straight-talking Londoner DI Mervin Wilson in the BBC One show, who is the opposite of predecessor Ralf Little’s anxious and sensitive DI Neville Parker.
Cutting a casual figure in a bucket hat and button down shirt, prickly Mervin has rattled his new workmates with his laid-back and “rude” approach – particularly as he made it clear he had no interest in staying on the island of Saint-Marie.
“He was on his way out”, says Don Gilet, 57. “His business was done on Saint Marie and he was happy to be leaving.” Fans will recall that Death In Paradise‘s Christmas special had revealed Mervin had travelled to the island to track down his birth mother, only to find out she had recently died.
However, when a report on her death leaves him with more questions than answers, as it suggests that foul play was involved in her passing, Mervin extends his stay in the Caribbean to go on the hunt for the truth.
“It affects him very personally, and he’s forced to show a vulnerable side, which he clearly doesn’t want to do”, says Don. “He doesn’t want to connect with this place and the last thing he wants to do is show any true feelings.”
One person who clashes with Mervin is Mayor Catherine Bordey, played by French actress Élizabeth Bourgine. “Every time she can show that she’s the mayor and she has a little bit of power, she will do it, to show him that he is not really respectful,” says Élizabeth. “Catherine has to, because he’s so rude, he is so different from Neville, from all the others.”
But while Mervin ignites tensions on screen, the cast made sure to give Don Gilet a warm welcome behind the scenes. “It’s like turning a page,” Don Warrington, otherwise known as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, says of the new addition. “It’s exciting because it’s a new person bringing their characteristics to it, it’s reinvention. We, as characters, are reinvented by the presence of another person. So, it’s thrilling.”
For Shantol Jackson, who had already warned fans about Mervin’s thorny disposition, friendship is important among the cast as they are away from home filming in Guadeloupe, where the majority of inhabitants speak French.
“We’re away from friends and family for half the year. And on top of that, it’s a French island, so if you’re not fluent in French, it’s very hard to make friends, or even develop any kind of relationships outside of the people you work with,” Shantol explains.
“We’ve been there and we were very much like, OK, we have to ensure that we take care of him, even for the first couple of months, ease him in, because we know how hard it can be, how lonely it can be. We were happy to have him and happy to welcome him. And very soon, he just kind of relaxed and eased into it.”
Death In Paradise is one of the BBC ’s most successful dramas, with 4.7million viewers tuning in for Don’s debut on Christmas. Now Don is feeling the pressure to maintain the show’s huge fanbase.
“I knew it was a popular show, I just didn’t know how popular it was,” he says. “It’s a lovely show and it’s great to play a lead. It’s a big deal. This show is loved worldwide, and now they’re saying, ‘Don, can you keep the popularity?’ It’s a double edged sword.”
However, with great writing and brilliant supporting actors, Don’s feeling confident series 14 could be one of the best yet. He adds, “When it’s written brilliantly, which it is, it’s a joy to do. Yes, it’s hard work, yes, it’s intense, but it’s such a family.”
The former EastEnders star, who gained mainstream recognition as serial killer Lucas Johnson, was announced to be joining the cast of the beloved drama last year, shortly after actor Ralf Little waved goodbye to the program. His character Neville Parker, which he had portrayed for four years, was last seen driving off into the sunset with his love interest, DS Florence Cassell (played by Joséphine Jobert).
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