Some characters, it seems, refuse to stay buried — at least in the imagination of the actors who gave them life. Ben Miller, who played the fish-out-of-water detective Richard Poole in Death in Paradise before meeting an untimely end in series two, has signalled his willingness to return to the sun-drenched shores of Saint Marie for a future anniversary, trusting in the show's creative ingenuity to find a way. It is a small but telling reminder that in television, as in memory, the dead have a habit of lingering.
Ben Miller hints at Death in Paradise return for BBC milestone
If anyone can think of how to do it, it's Tony Jordan
Mark
So Miller's character dies in series two, but he's saying he'd come back for the 15th anniversary. How does that actually work?
Mimi
He's already done it once—came back for the 100th episode in a flashback. That's the template. Flashbacks, dreams, those are the obvious routes. He even joked about a twin brother.
Luke
Right, but here's the thing: we don't know if the show is actually planning a 15th anniversary special, or if Miller is just saying he'd be open to it if they asked. The headline makes it sound like something's happening.
Mimi
Fair point. He's expressing willingness, not announcing a return. He said "I'd love to come back" and "of course, I would love to go back." That's desire, not confirmation.
Mark
And he's worked with Tony Jordan before, so he trusts the creator to figure out the mechanics?
Mimi
Exactly. He's saying Jordan is inventive enough to solve the problem. It's a compliment wrapped in a hint.
Luke
But we should be clear: this is Miller floating the idea in an interview, not the show's producers announcing anything. The Mirror's headline makes it sound more concrete than it is.
Mark
What about the Pointless thing? Is that actually happening?
Mimi
Yes, that's confirmed. He recorded six or seven episodes last autumn, and he's expecting them to air soon. That's a real reunion with Armstrong after 16 years.
Luke
Though we don't have a broadcast date from the BBC yet, so "quite soon" is his estimate, not an official schedule.
Mark
So the Death in Paradise thing is hope, but the Pointless thing is real?
Mimi
That's the distinction. One is Miller saying he'd like to do it; the other is something he's already filmed and is waiting to see air.
Il Polso
- Richard Poole was killed off in series two — yet his actor is openly discussing how to bring him back, suggesting the character's hold on the show remains very much alive.
- The central tension is a practical one: resurrection requires invention, and Miller has already floated flashbacks, dream sequences, and even a secret twin brother as possible escape routes from the finality of death.
- Miller's confidence rests squarely on the show's creator, Tony Jordan, whom he credits with the ingenuity to engineer a believable return for the next major milestone.
- Meanwhile, Miller is navigating a busy season of reinvention — stepping into Richard Osman's shoes on Pointless and reuniting with comedy partner Alexander Armstrong for the first time on screen since 2010.
- Away from the screen entirely, Miller is channelling his energies into literacy advocacy, partnering with authors and charities to bring books to children from disadvantaged backgrounds ahead of the National Year of Reading.
Some characters, it seems, refuse to stay buried — at least in the imagination of the actors who gave them life. Ben Miller, who played the fish-out-of-water detective Richard Poole in Death in Paradise before meeting an untimely end in series two, has signalled his willingness to return to the sun-drenched shores of Saint Marie for a future anniversary, trusting in the show's creative ingenuity to find a way. It is a small but telling reminder that in television, as in memory, the dead have a habit of lingering.
Ben Miller, who first played the perpetually disgruntled Detective Inspector Richard Poole when Death in Paradise launched in 2010, has made clear he would welcome a return to the show for a future milestone — despite the small matter of his character having been killed off at the end of series two.
Death, it turns out, is not necessarily the obstacle it appears. Miller has already come back once, appearing in a flashback alongside Sara Martins for the programme's 100th episode — an experience he remembers with obvious warmth. That precedent has left him eager to find a way back for the next significant anniversary. Speaking to Express.co.uk, he outlined several creative possibilities: flashbacks, dream sequences, or — with a touch of mischief — the revelation that Richard Poole had a twin brother no one knew existed. He expressed full confidence that the show's creator, Tony Jordan, would be inventive enough to make any of them work.
Beyond Saint Marie, Miller is having a quietly eventful year. He has recorded a run of episodes of BBC's Pointless quiz show, stepping into the analytical role made famous by Richard Osman — a considerable task, by his own admission. The engagement also marks his first on-screen collaboration with comedy partner Alexander Armstrong since 2010, reuniting a duo whose sketch work in the 1990s and their BAFTA-winning Armstrong & Miller Show earned them a devoted following.
Miller has also been lending his name to Read It Forward, a charitable initiative supporting children's literacy through Bookshop.org, working alongside poet Joseph Coelho and novelist Gill Sims to raise funds for BookTrust and Scottish BookTrust. With the National Year of Reading on the horizon, he has spoken warmly about the importance of local bookshops and of nurturing a genuine love of reading in younger generations.
Ben Miller, the actor who brought Detective Inspector Richard Poole to life when Death in Paradise first aired in 2010, is open to returning to the BBC crime drama for a future milestone celebration. The 59-year-old played the miserable London detective who found himself relocated to the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, a role that defined the show's early seasons until his character was killed off at the end of series two during a gathering at a beachside property.
The obstacle is straightforward: Poole is dead. But Miller has already demonstrated that death need not be permanent on the show. He returned once before for the programme's 100th episode, appearing in a flashback scene alongside Sara Martins, who plays DS Camille Bordey. That experience, he said, was brilliant and great fun. The memory of it has left him eager to do it again when the show reaches its next major anniversary milestone.
In conversation with Express.co.uk, Miller outlined the creative possibilities that might allow his character to reappear. Flashbacks and dream sequences are obvious routes, he noted. But he also floated a more imaginative solution: Richard Poole could have a twin brother nobody knew about. The actor expressed confidence that Tony Jordan, the show's creator, would be inventive enough to find a way to make it work. "If anyone can think of how to do it, it's Tony Jordan," Miller said.
Beyond Death in Paradise, Miller is stepping back into comedy this year. He's reuniting with Alexander Armstrong on BBC's Pointless quiz show, marking their first screen collaboration since 2010. The pair were a celebrated comedy partnership during the 1990s, creating sketch programmes that built a devoted following. They worked together again between 2007 and 2010 on The Armstrong & Miller Show, which won a BAFTA. Miller recorded six or seven episodes of Pointless in the autumn, taking on what he described as the Richard Osman role—a task he acknowledged would be considerable to pull off.
Miller has also been active beyond television. He's an ambassador for Read It Forward, a charitable initiative run by Bookshop.org, and has authored the Diary of a Wicked Witch. He's partnered with former Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and YA novelist Gill Sims to promote reading among young people. The funds raised through this effort go to BookTrust and Scottish BookTrust to support children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds. As the National Year of Reading approaches, Miller expressed enthusiasm about supporting local bookshops and nurturing a passion for reading in the next generation.
Citazioni salienti
I'd love to come back, but my character gets murdered in the show. They would have to be in a flashback or in a dream, but I have done one.— Ben Miller
I did go back for the 100th episode. I played my character in a flashback scene with DS Camille Bordey on the anniversary episode, and that was brilliant; it was great fun.— Ben Miller
Vuoi la storia completa?
Leggi l'originale su The Mirror ↗
Crime & Justice