Beyond Paradise confirms return of major character as BBC drops first series three spoilers – and filming is already underway

Fans of Beyond Paradise will no doubt be excited, as it has been announced that filming has begun for the third season of the BBC drama series, which will see the surprise return of a major character.

The long-awaited third film of the Death In Paradise spin-off reunites viewers with characters Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and Martha (Sally Bretton) in Devon, following the season finale in which they almost tied the knot.

But there’s even more exciting news: series bosses have confirmed the return of Jamie Bamber as Martha’s ex Archie Hughes, who left Shipton Abbott in season one.

It remains to be seen what impact his arrival will have on Humphrey and Martha, as the couple continues their “heartfelt foster journey” in the series.

The latest installment will also deliver “even more intriguing puzzles for the Shipton Abbott team to solve,” which will undoubtedly keep fans on the edge of their seats.

In increasingly exciting news, series bosses have confirmed the return of Jamie Bamber as Martha’s ex Archie Hughes, who left Shipton Abbott in season one

The synopsis for the new series reads: ‘Set against the idyllic backdrop of Devon and Cornwall, there are plenty of cases to keep the team on their toes, including a body found in a river on the county border, a baffling box of chocolate poisoning, a historic farming feud and an incident involving nails being driven into the water.

Outside the police station, Martha and Humphrey must overcome unexpected obstacles as foster parents, while the return of Martha’s old flame Archie presents an unexpected challenge.

‘While Esther experiences a surprising encounter in her personal life, a health issue stirs up painful memories for Anne and Kelby begins a journey of personal growth.’

Returning for season three alongside Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman, Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd and Jamie Bamber as Archie Hughes, season three also sees Zahra Ahmadi return as DS Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford and Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd.

Also starring Felicity Montagu is Margo Martins, Jade Harrison is CS Charlie Woods and Melina Sinadinou is Zoe Williams.

Tim Key, Executive Producer of Red Planet Pictures, said of the return of Beyond Paradise: ‘We are thrilled to be back in the beautiful South West filming what promises to be our strongest series yet, full of mysteries, surprises, challenges and a whole lot of emotion.

“We’ve loved making the show and the audience response has been fantastic. It’s especially exciting to welcome Jamie Bamber back to Shipton Abbott. We can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve done.”

It was already confirmed in April that Beyond Paradise will return for a third series and Christmas special.

The long-awaited third film of the Death In Paradise spin-off will reunite viewers with the characters Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and Martha (Sally Bretton) [pictured] in Devon, after the season two finale where they almost tied the knot

It remains to be seen what impact his arrival will have on Humphrey and Martha, as the couple plan to continue “their heartfelt foster care journey” in the series

The news followed the final episode of the second season on BBC One that month, which saw DI Humphrey Goodman and Martha Lloyd almost get married.

Viewers were disappointed by the ‘unlikely’ twist in the wedding finale, with one viewer even saying: ‘I feel betrayed!’

Spin-off series Death In Paradise hit theaters last year, with Kris Marshall reprising his role as the detective as he tries to adjust to life with his fiancée, played by Sally Bretton (Not Going Out), on the Devonshire coast.

In the series finale, the couple’s foster care journey came to an end and they welcomed Ryan into their home.

Elsewhere, the professional relationship between Constable Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn) and Detective Charlie Woods (Jade Harrison) takes an unexpected turn, with Detective Esther Williams (Zara Ahmadi) taking on a case involving the looting of a prized possession from the Shipton Abbott Museum.

The series saw the Shipton Abbott police team deal with a death during a murder mystery, a local fishing legend who disappeared at sea and a psychic who predicted an arson attack.

The latest installment will also deliver ‘even more intriguing puzzles for the Shipton Abbott team to solve’, which will undoubtedly keep fans on the edge of their seats [Kris Marshall pictured]

Tim Key, executive producer of Red Planet Pictures, said at the time: ‘The response to season two has been fantastic.

‘So much love goes into making the show and we are so happy that the audience enjoyed it so much.

‘We can’t wait to return to Shipton Abbott for a new Christmas special and series, continuing the story and learning more about our characters and the city they live in.

‘I can promise you that we will make viewers laugh, cry, laugh some more and then amaze them with a series of ingenious puzzles.

‘There will also be a duck.’

Beyond Paradise returns to the BBC at Christmas, with seasons 1 and 2 available to stream on BBC iPlayer.