Death in Paradise returns to BBC One on Friday

However, that doesn’t mean that Saint Marie’s newest sleuth, Don Gilet, isn’t feeling the pressure.

The former EastEnders actor, who made his debut as DI Mervin Wilson in the recent Christmas special, admits to being nervous ahead of his first episode: “I’m sure it won’t be a surprise to say that it was both exciting and terrifying in equal measure. 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?!’ But it was exciting because I knew I was embarking on this new journey.”

If the nerves did ever get to him though, should probably remind himself how he felt when found out he’d won the role, as he admits that it felt like a huge vote of confidence.

Don says: “It’s a weird feeling for an actor when you get any job, no matter what role it is, because they like your craft and what you did in the audition. When I was in the room, there were four people to impress, and I managed to do it.

“It was a great reminder to me that, yeah, you can still do this. It felt like a little personal air-punch-without-anyone-looking moment.”

It probably helps that Don was already a fan of Death in Paradise – he started watching it after he was cast in a different guest role in series four.

He says: “I was watching to see the style of the show and I was drawn in by how they managed to balance the seriousness and gravity of a crime show – because there are murders! – with the quirkiness from the character’s perspective, giving a light touch to it and a comedic edge.

“There are comedies and there are detective shows; they’d managed to combine those two things, and I thought, ‘this is really doing it’.”

So, viewers should be reassured that they are in safe hands, but how will the team at Saint Marie feel about their newest recruit?

In the opening episode it doesn’t seem like Mervin is particularly invested in winning them over as he can’t wait to get off the island.

Before he can catch his flight though, he gets caught up in an investigation into the murder of a young man whose body was found in a ravine. The case takes an intriguing twist when it turns out the victim has left a mysterious message behind for the team, which will hopefully convince Mervin that being Saint Marie’s resident Detective Inspector is a more interesting job than he first thought…