Beyond Paradise’s Kris Marshall, who plays detective Humphrey Goodman in the hit BBC drama, has paid tribute to one of his co-stars

Kris Marshall, known for his role as detective Humphrey Goodman in the popular BBC drama Beyond Paradise, has shared a heartfelt tribute to his co-star.

Jamie Bamber, who portrays Martha Lloyd’s (played by Sally Bretton) former love interest Archie, initially exited Beyond Paradise at the end of the first series after making a move on the café owner.

However, he returned to Shipton Abbott in the third series, sparking an unexpected romance with Humphrey’s colleague, Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi).

Discussing Jamie’s return, Kris said: “Working with Jamie is fantastic. It’s nice to have another actor of a similar age and experience on set, especially since we have both been in the industry since the 90s.

“Although we didn’t know each other well back then, we have a lot of mutual friends, and it’s great to have someone around who shares that history. Jamie is a seasoned actor and a lovely person who brings a lot of fun to the set,” reports Cornwall Live.

Kris Marshall plays Humphrey Goodman (Image: BBC)

He further added, “We get along really well, and it’s always a pleasure working with him.”

Despite Archie’s past indiscretion with Martha in the first series, Kris confessed that his character “doesn’t feel threatened” by Archie’s reappearance.

Kris elaborated: “He’s always been a confident and emotionally strong person, and he’s very secure in his relationship with Martha.

“In previous series, his issues stemmed from Archie working so closely with Martha but this time, Humphrey isn’t concerned. He’s more bemused than anything else. He isn’t losing sleep over it and is accepting of the situation.”

Archie is Martha’s ex (Image: BBC)

Sally Bretton shared her take on how her character feels about an ex’s reappearance, saying: “Martha’s completely fine with Archie being around as long as Humphrey is okay with it. She likes him, but she’s clear that their past is firmly in the past.”

“There’s mutual respect and closeness between them, but absolutely no romance. It’s all very platonic,” she added.

In addition to this, Sally lavished praise upon her co-star: “Working with Jamie (Bamber) is always a joy.

“He’s such a talented actor, and I love doing scenes with him. He brings so much to the table, so it’s always fun to share those moments on screen.”

Jamie Bamber plays Archie Hughes in Beyond Paradise (Image: BBC/Red Planet Pictures/Joss Barratt)Jamie Bamber also opened up about his enthusiastic return to the Death in Paradise spin-off following his earlier departure from the show. His decision was an easy one, informed by an intriguing opportunity presented by executive producer Tim Key.

“I couldn’t have been more delighted when Tim Key, our executive producer, suggested we meet for lunch in London,” he revealed.

“He pitched a storyline to me that would bring Archie back. It really surprised me – it wasn’t what I was expecting. I love that part of the world and I love all the people involved. It’s such a warm-hearted work environment.

“The vibe you get on-screen is very much echoed behind the camera. So for me it was a no-brainer! The storyline was really fun, and I liked what Archie had to do this time. The character had moved on, he’s matured and learned from his previous heartaches. Hopefully, viewers will enjoy the ride.”