A former Death in Paradise star previously issued a stern warning that newbie Don Gilet might need to heed.
The actor makes his debut on the show on Sunday (December 22) as its newest detective, Inspector Mervin Wilson. Don is taking over from Ralf Little – who played DI Neville Parker for four and a half years.
And earlier this month, a previous star of Death in Paradise, Ardal O’Hanlon, spoke out about the “tough” show.
Former Death in Paradise star on ‘tough’ show
Ardal O’Hanlon played DI Jack Mooney from 2017 to 2020 on Death in Paradise.
In an interview with The Mirror, the actor opened up about his time on the show, recalling how he worked 12 hours a day in the challenging Caribbean conditions, for six days a week.
People don’t believe you when you tell them how tough it was.
“God, that was tough. Like, people don’t believe you when you tell them how tough it was. I was so grateful for that part and everything else. And I look back on it now as a really great experience, kind of life-changing experience, I would say, because it’s not just that you’re playing a lead in a popular BBC primetime drama. It’s more of a lifestyle thing,” the comedian warned.
Death in Paradise star was told he ‘won’t last’
Ardal went on to reveal his envy towards guest actors on Death in Paradise.
He said: “I’m not complaining about the work, but you have so much to prepare every day, so you don’t have much downtime at all, you don’t have the chance to enjoy the attractions out there. I used to be so jealous of the guest actors! The suspects and the victim. You know, there’d be five or six guest actors every couple of weeks, and they would come over and they’d have such an amazing time.”
He added they’d fly out for “a week or two, maybe in for two or three days, the rest of the time they’re sitting by the pool, drinking cocktails “.
What’s more, Ardal also claimed that producers gave him a talk before he started filming, warning him about what lay ahead.
“They kind of tell you that at the beginning, like they said: ‘You know, you might last two years or three years, but you know, you probably won’t last four!’ You know, there’s hurricanes to deal with. There’s people going crazy because, like, people go stir crazy in that environment, you know, you’re always dealing with something, like there’s creatures that want to kill you.”
Don Gilet on ‘intense’ Death in Paradise filming
Meanwhile, new star Don recently spoke about his experience filming on the island in the Guadeloupe heat. And it seems he concur with Ardal when it comes to shooting the series.
“It’s intense because you’ve got that heat from the start to the end of the day,” he said. “It does get to a point where you are used to it, but it takes that extra layer of concentration. You can’t turn the temperature down, but it’s a beautiful backdrop to shoot against.
“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself and go look at where you are and what you’re doing. It’s a beautiful place.”
Watch Death in Paradise on Sunday (December 22) at 8:30pm on BBC One.
Read more: Death in Paradise guest star Marcus Brigstocke reveals he’s being killed off in Christmas special
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