Kris Marshall has quit 'Death in Paradise'.
Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman
The 43-year-old actor will be exiting the show after four years as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman and will be replaced by 'Father Ted' star Ardal O'Hanlon, who will play a brand new character.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "Despite shooting in one of the most glamorous locations on the planet, being apart from wife Hannah and their two young children for most of the six month filming schedule has proved too tough for Kris.
"It's been a hard decision, as he's helped draw in huge figures since taking on the role, but after 17 years in the business he wants to spend more time with his family. That's his priority now."
Show bosses are keeping what happens to DI Goodman a secret but Ardal's character is set to make an appearance during Thursday night's (02.01.17) episode. He will then begin filming for series seven in a few months.
Meanwhile, Kris - who joined the show in series 3 after the exit of DI Richard Poole (Ben Miller) - previously opened up about the pressure he feels to keep the show's loyal viewers.
He said: "My one concern about taking this job was that I didn't want to turn a show that gets nearly eight million viewers into a show that gets four million viewers. That's not going to look good for me."
During this series, the team - which includes DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert), Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules) and JP Hooper (Tobi Bakare) - will make a trip to London.
Speaking about those scenes, executive producer Tim Key said: "We are very excited to be bringing 'Death In Paradise' to London for the very first time. Humphrey Goodman has always been a fish out of water in Saint Marie, adjusting to the island's ways and customs, but for the scenes set in London, the roles are reversed as he is back in his hometown, giving an opportunity to explore the characters that viewers know and love against a new backdrop."
Tagged in Kris Marshall