Death In Paradise star Kris Marshall says it would be ‘an honour’ to play Doctor Who

Virgin Radio

11 Aug 2022, 10:35

He’s heading back to Death In Paradise for the spin-off, but could Kris Marshall soon fly off in the Tardis too?

Days after the actor shared details on the highly-anticipated DiP follow-on series, Kris revealed his thoughts on being the next Doctor Who, after rumours continued to swirl about his potential involvement in the sci-fi series. 

Alas, it’s not meant to be, according to Kris, who spoke to RadioTimes.com and other press about the “honour” of even being considered for the role of the iconic time traveller. 

He told the publication: "It's always an honour to be considered... for what is a really integral show in this country, and other countries as well, one that's so long running, with such a brilliant history. To be someone to take on that rich mantle or even be considered for it is a brilliant honour.”

Despite understanding what an incredible opportunity it would be to star as the new Doctor, to be played by Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa next, Kris admitted he would have to do some digging into the role, because he’s not watched one minute of the BBC series.

He added: “If someone had approached me to do such a brilliant, rich historical part like that, then I probably would have done my research and I've never seen it. Never watched it."

Kris also explained why he thinks his name is always thrown into the hat when it comes to Doctor Who.

“I left Death in Paradise at around the same time as Peter Capaldi left Doctor Who,” the My Family star suggested. “The tabloids must have put two and two together to make five."

Kris is busy returning to his Death In Paradise roots to consider travelling through time and space anyway, and will return as DI Humphrey Goodman in the upcoming DiP spin-off, Beyond Paradise. 

According to the Love Actually actor, the typical format of Death in Paradise episodes will be “spun on its head” for this new series.

Speaking to Radio Times, he said: "It's carrying on from where we left Humphrey Goodman and Martha [Sally Bretton], with their new bucolic south-western lifestyle.

"The classic Death in Paradise way of wrapping up the show is spun on its head a bit – not every episode is a murder – so more sheep rustling and stuff like that! It puts an English Riviera spin on the show people know and love. Who needs the Caribbean?"

It was announced that Marshall would be getting his own spin-off show in June after he had played DI Goodman on the original series from 2014 to 2017.

A release date for Beyond Paradise has not yet been announced.