BBC Death in Paradise’s Don Gilet shares strict reason he stopped family from visiting him during debut shoot

BBC Death in Paradise’s next lead has shared the reason he barred family from visiting him on the long-running show’s idyllic Carribean island while filming.

Don Gilet, 57, will first grace screens in a feature-length festive debut following Ralf Little’s departure from the show.

Gilet, who plays Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, will join the established cast on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe – standing in for the fictional St Marie.

DI Wilson’s debut will see him eager to return home to London but forced to abandon his flight to help solve an unusual triple homicide.

However, it is not the first time Gilet has graced the strangely murder-prone island – first appearing on the show in 2015 in a bit-part alongside then-lead Kris Marshal.

Now taking the helm, Gilet has made it clear how seriously he is taking the biggest role of his career yet.

The 57-year-old is single-minded in his determination to learn the beloved show’s scripts from top to bottom.

He explains the purpose is to get past the performance being a “memory test” and intuitively “express yourself as a character.”

Gilet’s commitment led him to impose some harsh personal restrictions while he worked amidst the beautiful Carribean setting.

Despite living only two minutes from one of Guadeloupe’s idyllic beaches, the actor has forbidden himself from going for a swim.

Similarly, the 57-year-old has also barred his father, his sister, and his grown-up son from visiting the island paradise, despite expectations of an invitation.

The actor has eliminated anything from his day-to-day that could distract from the “time you study the script so that you know it inside out”, he told Radio Times.

Gilet is adamant about proving that the decision-makers who said yes to casting him won’t “regret the choice they made”.

In line with his intense preparation, Gilet told the BBC that he was “delighted” to be returning to Death in Paradise.

“I can’t wait for the fans to see how DI Mervin Wilson fares on the island, how he fits within the Saint Marie police team and what secrets may unfold,” he explained.

The 57-year-old glowed: “It’s been a real pleasure filming such a beloved series alongside the hardworking cast and crew.”

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Following his festive feature length debut, Gilet will star in a new series of Death in Paradise in 2025