Death In Paradise will introduce a new detective to the sun-soaked shores of Saint Marie, and fans are eager to learn more about actor Don Gilet.
Death In Paradise season 14 is fast approaching, with its Christmas special scheduled to air on Sunday, December 22 at BBC A. This episode will mark the debut of DI Mervin Wilson, portrayed by Don Gilet.
As the festive episode approaches, fans are eager to delve into the 57-year-old actor’s off-screen life.
Born in January 1967 in Walsall, West Midlands, Gilet grew up in Caldmore with his parents and sister, but now calls London home.
Gilet’s first venture into acting came in 1993 when he appeared in an episode of the sitcom Desmond’s.
He then moved on to shows such as Demob, Brothers and Sisters, Casualty and Cutting It.
His first significant role was in the show Babyfather in 2001, where he played Johnny Lindo and worked alongside his future EastEnders co-star Diane Parish.
Before reuniting with Parish, Gilet starred as DS Nicky Cole in the show 55 Degrees North, and also appeared in Doctor Who, Meadowlands and Holby City.
Perhaps his most notable role to date has been as EastEnders‘ religious murderer Lucas Johnson, who imprisoned his wife Denise Fox (Parish), leading her family to believe she was dead.
He recently made a brief return to the soap when Denise visited her ex-husband in prison while grappling with the events surrounding Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) on Christmas Day 2023.
Fast forward to the present, and Gilet is poised to fill Ralf Little’s shoes as the latest scout at Death In Paradise following Little’s departure earlier in the year.
To prepare for the role, the actor imposed some strict personal rules.
The actor lived just minutes from a stunning Guadeloupe beach where Death In Paradise was shot, and banned himself from taking a dip in the sea.
He even went so far as to prevent his father, sister and grown son from visiting the island, sharing with Radio Times his commitment to remain unaffected by script rehearsals “so you know it inside out”.
Gilet is eager to show the show’s producers that they didn’t make the wrong decision in casting him and he’s determined not to leave them “regretting the choice they made”.
Formerly married to actress Tracy Whitwell, known for her roles in Soldier Soldier, Peep Show and Playing The Field, Gilet and his ex lived in Bedfordshire and have a grown-up son called Flynn.
More recently, rumors have been swirling that Gilet may rekindle romance with Happy Valley’s Siobhan Finneran, his co-star in The Stranger and The Loch.
Spotted snapping hands on the set of The Loch in 2017, and again at this year’s TV Choice Awards, the duo might not have put a label on it, but their affection seems obvious.
But not every television assignment has been trouble-free for Gilet; he encountered an awkward moment during an episode of The One Show three years ago.
In the middle of a VT interview, host Alex Jones was met with technical gremlins when she tried to talk about the actor’s stint on EastEndersbut he struggled with the sound.
As she turned up the volume in an attempt to be heard, the actor replied: “Alex, it’s not about yelling. It’s the signal!”
A confused Alex quickly apologized for the bad line, just before they lost contact completely.
Death In Paradise returns on Sunday 22 December at 8.30pm BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
