Brexit Could Mean No More 'Death In Paradise' & I Am Gutted

You know the drill. Since 2011, Death in Paradise has seen grizzly murders take place in super pretty, tropical locations, and it's probably been your reliable laid-back detective drama ever since it first aired. The BBC criminal comedy has had plenty of scandalous episodes in its time, and it always seems to make the week go by so much quicker. That's why I feel a little sad to see the end of season eight, so now, ahead of its finale I'm left wondering, will Death in Paradise return for series nine? I'm sure I can't be the only one who's holding out for it.

Update: It has been confirmed that Death in Paradise has been renewed for two further seasons. “We are delighted to announce that Death in Paradise is coming back to BBC One," Tommy Bulfin, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor explained. "The show is a jewel in our roster of top drama and we are thrilled that it’s returning."

Earlier: As listed on Premiere Dates, Death in Paradise has yet to be renewed, but you can subscribe to their service so you can get updated if and when that status changes. Actor Ardal O'Hanlon who plays DI Jack Mooney on the show, and who you'll almost certainly recognise as Father Dougal McGuire, recently said he felt unsure there'd be a series nine. Speaking to Metro in January, O'Hanlon told the site that "‘You just never really know with these things." Sure, that might sound a bit worrying, but I wouldn't give up hope too soon.

Previous series have been renewed pretty late in the game, so the fact that there hasn't yet been confirmation of a series nine shouldn't be too much cause for concern. While as Digital Spy reports, series eight was announced midway through the running of series seven the site writes that it'd be a "huge shock" if the BBC were to suddenly turn around and cancel the show this late on. And I agree.

While the publication also reports that the show's ratings have dipped a little bit, it's really only a minor fall. Death in Paradise still attracts a very strong viewership, with Digital Spy reporting that over nine million viewers tuned in for the series eight premiere. I don't think any network would want to bin a show that brings in those kind of figures.

The show's pending status might be down to Brexit. And no, I'm not kidding. The show's setting is essential to Death in Paradise, and its Guadeloupe location basically makes the show what it is. The fact that the Caribbean island is in French territory makes things pretty precarious, given the country's current Brexit situation. Writer and creator Robert Thorogood recently revealed to the Radio Times that the fact Guadeloupe and the UK both reside in the EU "makes it really easy to film there."

So, what does that mean for the show now that the UK is supposedly exiting the EU? “If we left the single market, it could make things much harder for us. So, like the rest of the UK, we’re just going to have to wait and see what happens after Brexit," he told the paper. Who knew Death in Paradise was a metaphor for our times? And just when I thought I couldn't be anymore fed up with Brexit.