Ralf Little has revealed what’s next for him in his career after quitting Death In Paradise – saying wants to play a villain.
The 44-year-old actor has just left the much-loved BBC show after four years playing DI Neville Parker and now he’s ready to take on something very different to the ‘nice guys’ he usually portrays on screen.
He told Big Issue magazine: ‘I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and do more things that scare me or that I maybe feel a bit intimidated by.
‘And I’d love to play a villain. It would be so nice to just play someone horrible – I’ve spent my whole career playing nice guys. I want to surprise myself.’
Ralf hopes his Death in Paradise stint has changed how he is perceived because he has spent so long being associated with The Royle Family, in which he played Antony from 1998 to 2012.
Ralf Little has revealed what’s next for him in his career after quitting Death In Paradise – saying wants to play a villain
The 44-year-old actor has just left the much-loved BBC show after four years playing DI Neville Parker and now he’s ready to take on something very different to the ‘nice guys’ he usually portrays on screen
Asked if he thinks playing Neville has changed how people see him, he said: ‘Massively. And I welcome that, because I loved every moment of it. But now people are talking about Death in Paradise just as much.
‘That evolution feels very satisfying. It’s the next step of my life. I was a kid when I did The Royle Family. I’m a middle-aged man now.’
The actor also told how he relished the chance to take on the ‘incredible challenge’ of leading a show for the first time with Death in Paradise.
It comes after it was revealed that Death In Paradise’s brand new spin-off series will feature the franchise’s first ever lead female detective.
Return to Paradise will be set in sun-soaked Australia and follow DI Mackenzie Clarke, played by Anna Samson, as she attempts solves a whole host of mysterious murders.
Following time spent working for London’s Metropolitan Police she is accused of tampering with evidence which forces her to return to her hated home down under.
British born Australian actress Anna has previously starred in Home And Away and HBO‘s Leftovers.
She will now follow in the footsteps of the show’s former detectives Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O’Hanlon and the recently departed Ralf.
He told Big Issue magazine: ‘I’d love to play a villain. It would be so nice to just play someone horrible – I’ve spent my whole career playing nice guys. I want to surprise myself’
Ralf hopes his Death in Paradise stint has changed how he is perceived because he has spent so long being associated with The Royle Family, in which he played Antony from 1998 to 2012
According to the broadcaster the six-part series will have a ‘distinct Australian flair’ while still paying homage to original series and will debut on BBC1 and iPlayer later this year.
This marks the franchise’s second spin-off after Kris Marshall’s DI Humphrey Goodman left sun-soaked Saint Marie for a new life in Devon in Beyond Paradise.
Ralf recently revealed the real reason he decided to leave Death in Paradise at the end of last month – a move which left viewers in tears.
His departure came as a shock to fans, with the BBC only confirming Ralf had left the show after the finale aired.
And speaking about his exit on BBC Breakfast last week, the actor admitted he had always planned for this series to be his last and felt he had to walk away for the sake of his character.
He told hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt: ‘You know, this last series was always going to be my last series. I spoke to the BBC and Red Planet, the production company, and we all agreed.’
Ralf admitted: ‘If it was just a heart decision I would have wanted to do it for 20 more years.
‘But just for the show and for my character Neville it just sort of felt like his story was finished and his journey deserved to be completed.
It comes after it was revealed that Death In Paradise’s brand new spin-off series will feature the franchise’s first ever lead female detective (Anna Samson pictured as DI Mackenzie Clarke in Return to Paradise)
Ralf recently revealed the real reason he decided to leave Death in Paradise at the end of last month – a move which left viewers in tears
‘He deserved a happy ending and it just felt right.
Speaking about getting the part in the first place he said: ‘As an actor you’re used to going ‘Oh well didn’t get that one. Oh great I got that one,’ and you try not to get to excited or disappointed as a way to keep your sanity.
‘But when I got that one there was some celebrations for sure. I mean who doesn’t want to work in the Caribbean on one of the most beloved shows that I was a fan of before I went on it.’
After Ralf’s final episode aired on March 25, the star took to Instagram as he told his fans it was an ‘absolute privilege’ to play Neville.
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