DEATH in Paradise fans have threatened to ‘stop watching’ the show if a certain actor is cast as the new DI.
Ralf Little left his role as DI Neville Parker at the end of series 13, but the BBC have yet to confirm who will be stepping into his shoes.
Speculation surrounding American actor and comedian Michael Rapaport potentially joining the show began when writer James Hall followed the star on social media.
Michael, 54, has appeared in hit shows including Friends, Prison Break, Justified, My Name Is Earl and competed on season 10 of FOX’s The Masked Singer US.
While a new DI actor has not officially been announced yet, some fans have said they will give up on the show if Michael does join the cast.
Taking to the Death In Paradisesubreddit, one wrote: “Would totally stop watching if he’s on the show… Even as a guest I wouldn’t watch.”
Another agreed, saying: “Isn’t the whole premise of the show based on a white middle-aged British man who is out of his comfort zone by being in the Caribbean? If the next DI is outside of that remit then it basically becomes a different show.”
A third viewer shared: “I highly doubt they would go for him given his penchant for wilding on his social media’s. I would disregard. If they did go the non British route (which I doubt) there would be many better candidates than him!”
Michael has drawn criticism in the past for social media comments, including marking Mother’s Day with a ‘crude’ joke about then-First Lady Melania Trump.
Whoever is cast as the new Death In Paradise DI will follow in the footsteps of previous leads Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O’Hanlon and Ralf Little.
Other names suggested by bookmakers to take over murder solving on Saint Marie include Martin Clunes, Rupert Grint, Diane Morgan and Miranda Hart.
Meanwhile, Kelby Hartford (played by Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn), from the spin-off series Beyond Paradise has also been thrown into the mix.