Death in Paradise favourite addresses future in the franchise following previous character exit

Don Warrington has spoken about his future on Death in Paradise after his character's brief departure caused a stir among fans. Now, he's confirming that he's actually returning to the BBC drama for its next run.

The actor, who has played Commissioner Selwyn Patterson since the show began in 2011, has been listed among the returning cast, with his involvement also given away by a cast-wrap photograph shared by co-star Elizabeth Bourgine that showed him alongside the team.

Warrington's return follows a storyline that saw Selwyn leave the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie during season 14 because of a family crisis, before he reappeared the following season. Although Selwyn returned to our screens at the time, the whole furore did lead some viewers to feel misled about his exit.

Speaking to Radio Times previously, Warrington admitted the fervour over Selwyn's apparent departure had caught him off guard. "I thought it would just pass by under the radar and we'd carry on," he said. "But, apparently, there has been an outcry."

However, the actor has been keen to stress there was nothing underhand about the whole debacle. "That was just the storyline, nothing more," he told The i. "The producers thought it would be interesting to have Selwyn reach some kind of crisis, and then, after dealing with it, return. There was no Machiavellian intent.

"It was certainly very nice to know that my character had penetrated into people's consciousness to that extent, and that they liked him," he added. "It is rather nice to be liked."

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And although fans will undoubtedly be happy to see the return of Warrington, he has also urged fans not to take Selwyn's long-term future for granted, previously saying they should "assume nothing" about the character.

"My advice is to assume nothing," he told Radio Times, warning that there would "be many twists and turns ahead" and that the appeal lies in watching the characters' journeys "regardless of whether you approve".

As for how long he will stay, the actor made no guarantees, explaining that the commitment is taken "a year at a time".

The BBC has recently given the drama a strong vote of confidence, recommissioning it for two further seasons and confirming two more Christmas specials. Season 15 aired from Friday 30 January 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the next run expected in early 2027 after a Christmas special.

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Authors

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.