Death in Paradise fans bid emotional farewell to Marlon star Tahj Miles

Death in Paradise fans were left distraught after Tahj Miles' unexpected exit as Marlon Pryce in Sunday night's episode of the BBC drama.

The actor's departure came as a shock, with viewers bidding an emotional farewell to the character when he announced he was leaving Saint Marie in order to take care of his younger sister in Jamaica. The seed of his departure was sown earlier in the season, when the character debated the merits of doing right by his sibling over the pain of sacrificing his job.

Miles first joined the show in season 10, and viewers felt his character had become an essential part of the team in the three years he has been on the show. Taking to social media, viewers shared their thoughts on his final appearance in the crime drama.

One viewer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: "I was hoping it would be a bluff but Tahj Miles really is leaving Death in Paradise The show needs a character like him & Dwayne. Tahj, I was apprehensive at first and you quickly won me over. You did a memorable and fantastic job. Wished you weren't leaving"

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Another person wrote: "Can we take a minute to appreciate the great work that @TahjDMiles has done to turn Marlon into the heart and soul of the Saint Marie team. He will be sorely missed, but good luck in the future"

Upset about the actor's departure from the series, one viewer wrote: "I’m going to miss you as Marlon so much!" while another said: "Just watched death in paradise , goodbye Marlon pryce." Similarly, one person said: "Noooo Marlon can’t leave just love his character…"

Also feeling distraught by the outcome of the episode, a viewer said: "Really enjoyed Death in Paradise last night - it was back to its sunnier feel after a couple of darker episodes thank goodness! But I am going to miss Marlon HUGELY - he was such a great character!!!"

Miles hinted at his character's decision when speaking with Yahoo UK and other publications ahead of series 13's debut earlier this year, and the actor reflected on his character's journey in the new episodes, saying: "He's settled in his job, settled in himself. He's growing up, he's much more mature than when he first joined the show.

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"The difference is the stakes are a little bit higher, he's got a lot of decisions to make that don't just affect him... it's affecting everybody around him. So he has to be a little bit more selfless than he usually is. So yeah, he's still growing up."

Death in Paradise series 13 continues Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Watch the trailer for Death in Paradise series 13: