BBC Death in Paradise's Ben Miller open to reprising beloved character

Ben Miller has confessed he would happily return to his Death in Paradise role, if it weren't for the passing of time.

The actor, who played Detective Inspector Richard Poole in the BBC drama until his exit in 2014, joked that his age is now the only thing standing in the way of a prequel.

He told Radio Times: "If I wasn't so ruddy old, I could play him in a prequel. I loved the character and I loved the show. It just came at a slightly unfortunate time in my life.

"But I do really miss that character. And funnily enough [Paraverse creator and writer] Rob Thorogood has carried on writing stories for Richard Poole, which is quite fun, so that's a nice way to live the character again."

Tragically, Richard Poole was killed off in the series three opener entitled Death of a Detective, reports Express.co.uk

Ben Miller was a popular detecitve on the BBC show before his exit (Image: BBC)

Ben has previously explained that his departure wasn't due to artistic differences but rather personal matters, as shooting in Guadeloupe meant long stretches away from his family, making it increasingly difficult to balance his work obligations with home life.

Since then, several detectives have taken charge on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, with Don Gilet presently leading the cast as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson.

Outside of Death in Paradise, Ben has also spoken about a distinctly modern concern - whether anyone can truly avoid being "cancelled" on social media.

Actor Ben Miller was the first Death In Paradise detective (Image: BBC)

Speaking to Radio Times while promoting the second series of his comedy Austin, in which he portrays a children's author whose career falls apart following a public cancellation, the actor conceded that the subject matter resonates deeply with him.

He suggested that virtually everybody harbours anxieties about finding themselves at the centre of an online backlash, arguing that even a harmless social media post can unexpectedly snowball into widespread outrage.

Ben Miller in Austin (Image: BBC)

In his view, social media platforms routinely enable that kind of pile-on, with posts swiftly attracting those on the lookout for something to condemn.

While Austin explores the theme through a comedic lens, the actor's comments suggest he believes the pressures of online culture affect celebrities and everyday social media users in equal measure.

Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.