Death In Paradise will bring a new detective to the sun-drenched beaches of Saint Marie, and fans are excited to find out more about actor Don Gilet.
Death In Paradise season 14 is fast approaching and the Christmas special is set to air on BBC One on Sunday December 22nd. This episode marks the debut of DI Mervin Wilson, portrayed by Don Gilet.
As the festive episode approaches, fans are excited to delve into the 57-year-old actor's off-screen life.
Gilet was born in Walsall, West Midlands in January 1967 and grew up in Caldmore with his parents and sister. Today he lives in London.
Gilet's first foray into acting came in 1993 when he appeared in an episode of the sitcom Desmond's.
He then appeared in shows such as Demob, Brothers and Sisters, Casualty and Cutting It.
His first significant role was in the 2001 series Babyfather, where he played Johnny Lindo and worked alongside his future EastEnders co-star Diane Parish.
Before reuniting with Parish, Gilet played the role of DS Nicky Cole in the series 55 Degrees North and also appeared in Doctor Who, Meadowlands and Holby City.
Perhaps his most notable role to date was as EastEnders religious murderer Lucas Johnson, who imprisoned his wife Denise Fox (Parish) and made her family believe she was dead.
He recently made a brief return to the soap as Denise visited her ex-husband in prison while dealing with the events surrounding Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) on Christmas Day 2023.
Fast forward to the present, and Gilet is poised to follow in Ralf Little's footsteps and serve as Death In Paradise's newest detective following Little's departure earlier this year.
To prepare for the role, the actor imposed strict personal regulations.
The actor lived just minutes from a stunning Guadeloupe beach where Death In Paradise is filmed and banned himself from taking a dip in the sea.
He even went so far as to prevent his father, sister and adult son from visiting the island, telling Radio Times that he was committed to not being distracted from script rehearsals “so that you can get everything in.” – and knows it by heart”.
Gilet is eager to show the show's producers that they didn't make the wrong decision with their choices, and he's determined not to make them “regret the choice they made.”
Gilet was previously 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 an adult son called Flynn.
Rumors have been circulating lately that Gilet is pursuing a renewed romance with Happy Valley's Siobhan Finneran, his co-star in The Stranger and The Loch.
The duo were spotted holding hands on the set of The Loch in 2017 and also at the TV Choice Awards this year. Maybe it hasn't been labeled, but their affection seems obvious.
But not every television appearance has been smooth sailing for Gilet; Three years ago he experienced an awkward moment during a segment on the One Show.
Midway through a VT interview, presenter Alex Jones was faced with technical gremlins when she tried to chat about the actor's stint on EastEnders, but he had trouble with the sound.
As she raised her volume to be heard, the actress replied, “Alex, it's not about screaming. It’s the signal!”
A nervous Alex quickly apologized for the bad line just before the connection went completely dead.
Death In Paradise returns on Sunday December 22nd at 8:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
