Beyond Paradise star’s tribute to ‘relentless’ Kris Marshall ahead of co-star’s exit
Beyond Paradise actress Zahra Ahmadi shared what it's really like working with Kris Marshall
Kris Marshall and Zahra Ahmadi in Beyond Paradise(Image: BBC)
Beyond Paradise actress Zahra Ahmadi, who portrays Detective Sergeant Esther Williams, has spoken warmly about her on-screen co-star, Kris Marshall, who plays Detective Humphrey Goodman.
The latest series of the Death in Paradise spin-off has returned to our screens, following Humphrey and Esther, alongside their police team, as they tackle a succession of crimes in Shipton Abbott.
However, unbeknownst to the rest of his colleagues, Humphrey is being forced to wrestle with a difficult decision and part ways with one of his team members.
In an exclusive interview with Reach PLC, the actress behind Esther gave fans a glimpse of what to expect from series four, as well as what it’s truly like to work alongside Kris Marshall.
Zahra began, “He takes his work very seriously, because he wouldn’t be as successful as he is if he didn’t. But what I really admire about Kris is his energy. It’s relentless,” reports the Express.
The Beyond Paradise cast(Image: BBC)
She went on to say, “And that’s a huge responsibility when you’re at the helm of a show like that, and you’re leading the cast and crew.
“And you know, often, I might come in and feel slightly tired, or, you know, stressed or whatever, and you only need to look at Kris and go, ‘No, actually, I need to take Kris’ lead on things’. And that’s the thing I admire most.
“He’s got such great energy, he’s got such a positive attitude, he’s so warm, he’s up for a good time, he’s always finding the light-heartedness in things.
“And I mean, it’s a real privilege to work with someone like that, because sometimes you need that, sometimes you need someone to gear you up, and he’s really great at that.”
Esther will shortly bid farewell to her daughter, Zoe Williams (portrayed by Melina Sinadinou), who revealed her intention to leave Shipton Abbott and travel overseas in Friday’s episode.
Zahra paid tribute to her co-star Kris(Image: BBC)
While chatting with her boss, Martha Goodman (Sally Bretton), Zoe confided that she felt bored with her life and wanted to pursue new opportunities.
She revealed she was contemplating a move to Australia following an encounter with PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn). In a subtle reference to the Death in Paradise spin-off, Return to Paradise, Zoe mentioned she was considering Dolphin Cove, the location where the spin-off takes place.
When discussing her on-screen daughter and their dynamic and Zoe’s plans to leave, Zahra said, “I think this is the point. I don’t know how to say this without sounding really dramatic and probably overly dramatic.
“This is the point of no return, and I think all parents and children go through it, you know, the point where someone steps fully into adulthood, and both they and the parent realise that, and there’s a shift. There’s a massive shift.
“And I think that’s what we’re seeing here in series four, and that isn’t easy for either of them, particularly for Esther, and it throws up all sorts of issues.
“We see that at play, and we see the cogs kind of turning, and what we do see is, with that kind of reaching a point of no return, that kind of shift, we see what a good parent Esther is, because we see how well she’s raised her daughter, and we see what a wonderful human Zoe is.”
