DEATH IN Paradise star Ralf Little has opened up about his character's emotional struggles in the show's first ever Christmas special.
DI Neville Parker was left heartbroken at the end of season 12 and even considered leaving the tropical shores of Saint-Marie after he discovered his girlfriend was a lying murderer.
Sophie turned out to be attempting to frame him for a death as an act of revenge for him getting her sister locked up.
When asked how his character coped with these revelations, actor Ralf said: "With difficulty. He's obviously extremely hurt and bruised by it and mistrustful of people and the concept of romance and love.
"He's extremely jaded. He feels like maybe it's just not for him and that for some people, it just doesn't work for them.
"We join him this series very much feeling like he's one of those people and this is all just something he should give up on or he'll just get hurt again, over and over.
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"We join him broken by the whole experience and ready to give up on the idea of loving at all."
But although the detective is in this tragic state of mind at the beginning of the festive season, he soon perks up after getting a visit from a surprise guest who turns out to be a breath of fresh air.
Sitcom star Doon Mackichan from Two Doors Down turns up playing Detective Neville's feisty mum, and the Scots actress will have some words of wisdom for her son when it comes to matters of the heart.
"She's quite the opposite of Neville," laughed Ralf. "She's gregarious, fun, loving and seizes the moment and the day.
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"She just lives life to enjoy herself and she's the first person that gives Neville a bit of a pep talk and says, 'Look, don't give up on something just because it's hard.'
"It’s not that he just snaps out of it and that solves everything, but it's the first time we see him told and that’s sort of the start of his road to emotional recovery."
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