Who is new Death in Paradise lead Don Gilet? Inside the star’s private life-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

Don Gilet is the new lead of the BBC police drama Death in Paradise (Picture: HGL/WireImage)

Don Gilet has made history as the first Black actor to star as the British police detective in the long-running procedural drama, Death in Paradise.

The 58-year-old actor made his debut as DI Mervin Wilson, the replacement for Neville Parker (Ralf Little), in the Christmas special in 2024.

Now he is returning for a new season of solving murder mysteries on the sunny Caribbean island of Saint Marie.

The actor is best known for playing serial killer Lucas Johnson in EastEnders – a role he has reprised on and off for two decades – and he has also made appearances in Doctor Who, Shetland, and Holby City as Jesse Law.

He was also the lead of the 2004 BBC drama 55 Degrees North as DS Nicky Cole and ITV’s 2017 police drama, The Loch.

Now he is helming season 14 of Death in Paradise, following the footsteps of previous series leads such as Ralf, Kris Marshall and Ben Miller who originated the role in 2011.

The EastEnders star takes over from Ralf Little (Picture: BBC/Red Planet Pictures/Lou Denim)

Death in Paradise has been running since 2011 (Picture: BBC/Red Planet Pictures/Lou Denim)

Ahead of starring in the show, he told the Telegraph: ‘What I think would be really brilliant for the show now is that they have a person – whether guy or girl – of Caribbean heritage who’s grown up in Britain, is completely, for want of a better word, ‘anglicised’, has never been to the Caribbean, and finds it really hard.

‘Because obviously we’ve had lots of middle-aged, white guys, and the show’s been a success, but I think it would really give it another angle.”

The now London-based star grew up in Walsall and, prior to getting into the acting industry in the 90s, worked in a ‘brass foundry making horse bridles’.

In 2008, he briefly considered quitting acting due to the ‘precarious’ nature of the industry and was worried about looking after a ‘mortgage and a baby’. In the end, he decided to remain.

He was once married to actor and author Tracy Whitwell with whom he shares one child (Picture: Karwai Tang/Getty Images)

Siobhan Finneran recently confirmed her relationship with Don (Picture: WireImage

Alongside his professional development, he also used to be married to Peep show star Tracy Whitwell (also known for Soldier Soldier and Playing the Field) and has a teenage son, Flynn and they lived together in Bedfordshire.

Tracey is now an author The Accidental Medium series.

Don has not publicly discussed his son recently, but in 2014 told the Sunday Post: ‘I think he’s got some of my playful genes… I have fun at work but when I get home I have to become a father and keep an eye on him not getting too wild.

‘He’s a lovely kid but he’s very active and loves to run about the place. If you wind him up to play you have to allow the time to calm him before he beds down at night,’ per Hello.

It is believed he is now in a lowkey relationship with Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran as the pair have been photographed together at various public events.

Aside from EastEnders, Don has also starred in Holby City and The Loch since his career began in the 90s (Picture: PA Wire)

And in a recent interview with The Guardian, Siobhan confirmed the news when recommending a piece of artwork by Rudi Hurzlmeier.

She said: ‘I showed it to Don [Gilet], my fella, and now one of my Christmas presents is a book of Hurzlmeier’s work.’

As for Don’s attitude to this next phase of his life, he said: ‘I liken it to one of those scary rides at a theme park. I’m going on it, and I know it’s going to be scary, but I’m going to do it. You’re daring yourself. Then you sit in the seat going, “What have I just let myself in for?!”.’

Death in Paradise airs every Friday at 9pm on BBC One.

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