Death in Paradise season nine has set up DI Jack Mooney’s (played by Ardal O’Hanlon) exit as he prepares to leave behind the sun and the sand for good in the upcoming episodes. Ahead of his exit, the BBC has confirmed exactly who will be stepping in to replace him – here is everything you need to know about the new inspector.

Who is the new inspector in Death in Paradise?

Ever since it was announced Ardal O’Hanlon would be leaving the show behind, fans have been eager to know who would replace him.

The news came back in October how Ralf Little would be making his entrance as DI Neville Parker.

What viewers know so far of the new DI is how he will head to the island of Saint Marie to investigate the death of a woman from his home city of Manchester.

In an interview with Hello, producer Tim Kay hinted a little bit more about what to expect from the character.

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He said: “As a huge compliment, Ardal’s character is very nice and very loveable.

“So we wanted a character who was a bit more challenging for people to bring a bit of friction into the mix.”

This all implies Parker’s entrance into the series may cause a bit of friction for the other members of the policing team.

Parker will be played by English actor and former semi-professional footballer Little.

Born in Oldham, the star’s first major role came in 1998 when he joined the cast of The Royle Family as Anthony Royle.

He played the role until 2000 before returning for a Christmas special in 2006.

Little is also recognisable for playing Jonny Keogh in sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps which began in 2001.

Across his career so far he has appeared in guest roles in shows like Doctor Who and even Death in Paradise back in season two.

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As well as being an actor, Little also played semi-professional football for teams like Maidstone United, Chertsey Town and Edgware Town.

Speaking about joining the show, he told the BBC how excited he was to start.

He said: “It took less than 0.005 seconds to say yes to playing the new DI. How could I not?

“Ardal has been wonderful in the last few series and to follow in his footsteps in a place as idyllic as Guadeloupe was a great honour and a dream come true.

“It is a joy to play Neville and I can’t wait for viewers to see him in Paradise this series.”

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  • Death in Paradise season 9: What episode will Ardal O’Hanlon leave in?

Viewers should expect to get their first glimpse at his character after Mooney’s exit, which is predicted to come next week.

This was set up in the latest episode of the show as Anna (Nina Wadia) asked Mooney to join her on her travels.

How this will all play out is expected to be revealed in the fourth episode of the series.

Death in Paradise airs on Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One.

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