Death in Paradise fans issue demand as Josephine Jobert's exit explained

Daily Mirror

24-07-2025

Josephine Jobert has portrayed DS Florence Cassell on the BBC One detective drama Death in Paradise since 2015, and has been sorely missed by fans since her exit
BBC One's tropical detective series Death in Paradise has waved goodbye to a host of beloved characters over the years, with Josephine Jobert being among them. She first graced the show in 2015 and exited in 2019, only to reappear in seasons 10 and 11, and then surprisingly in 2024 when her character stepped out of witness protection.
‌
In an intimate video message to her followers, Josephine shared the reasons behind her initial exit, citing personal and professional grounds while reassuring fans that there was "nothing dramatic" about her decision. She expressed: "Everything is fine it's just that I've been working on Death in Paradise for five years. I loved every minute of it."
‌
She continued: "I'm going to miss the show, I'm going to miss Toby and Ardal and Shyko and everyone so it's been a tough decision, but that's life."
‌
Josephine, who thought she had left the sandy shores of Saint Marie for good, found herself irresistibly pulled back into the fold, as she confessed to Hello! regarding her season 10 comeback, reports Wales Online.
"I already left in series eight, I thought it would be for good, honestly, I thought, 'I'm done,'" she disclosed. "Then they asked me back for series ten as I was like, 'Hmmm I don't know, okay I'm going to do it.' But I knew it wouldn't be forever, I knew it. How long, I didn't know. I had an idea, but I wasn't sure."
‌
However, the third episode of the tenth series, titled Lucky in Love, originally aired in 2021 and will be rebroadcast at 9pm tonight on BBC One.
The synopsis of the episode reads: "It seems money doesn't buy happiness when lottery winner Cherry is found dead at her luxurious villa, much to the horror of her husband and their visiting friends."
The plot thickens as Neville and his team are faced with a puzzling case: no one was present in the house at the time of the murder, and the victim's body mysteriously disappears.
‌
It continues: "Meanwhile, JP is training unruly new officer Marlon, aware that his wife Rosey is due to give birth at any time."
Furthermore, she teased the prospect of joining the spin-off series, Beyond Paradise, revealing that it was a topic she had broached with the producer. "We'll see if that will happen. But I would love to anyway. It would be a very nice wink," she hinted.
‌
Fans have been flocking to social media to praise the French actress's performance in Death in Paradise.
A Reddit user said, "She's the heart and soul of the show; it's never quite the same without her."
Another penned: "I always Hoped she would have a turn being detective after being promoted."
While a third weighed in with their thoughts: "I really miss her, honestly. While I do like Naomi, I really would have loved if Florence had become the first non-English DI in the show; especially with her experience and smarts."
Death in Paradise airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One.