DI Neville Parker discovered that living in paradise does have some drawbacks, when he was forced to say goodbye to his lover Sophie Chambers in Death in Paradise.
His all-too-brief new love interest left Saint Marie at the end of episode 2 (Friday, January 13, 2023).
But will she ever return? Or is there a chance Neville might follow her and leave Saint Marie?
Here’s everything we know.
***Warning: spoilers from Death in Paradise episode 2 ahead***
Sophie and Neville in Death in Paradise
It’s fair to say Death in Paradise detective Neville Parker has been unlucky-in-love.
So viewers were pleased to see him find romance with Sophie Chambers, who was first introduced in the Death in Paradise Christmas 2022 special.
After an awkward initial encounter, the pair couldn’t deny their mutual chemistry and subsequently kissed.
But, sadly, Sophie was only in Saint Marie for 10 days, before heading back to Manchester.
In total, Sophie appeared in 3 episodes of the BBC One drama.
Will Sophie return to Saint Marie? Has she gone for good?
Sophie and Neville (Ralf Little) clearly had feelings for each other.
It definitely felt like more than just a holiday romance.
However, in emotional scenes, the pair agreed NOT to stay in touch.
During a date, Sophie asked Neville: “So, when I do go back home to Manchester, do you think we’ll stay in touch?”
A pensive Neville replied: “It’s the elephant in the room.
“I’ve thought about nothing else, to be honest, and I really love spending time with you.
“But it wasn’t that long ago, I got quite badly burnt by someone.
“I really like you, but the whole long-distance thing, I wonder if we’re not better off saying our goodbyes now instead of being hurt more in the long run.”
As the drama stands, the two made no plans to meet again.
But we have a feeling she WILL be back!
A BBC spokesperson told us there are currently no plans for actress Chelsea Edge to return as Sophie Chambers.
Will Neville follow Sophie? Is he leaving Saint Marie?
In a sneak preview of episode 3, Neville is clearly feeling forlorn.
When his colleague tells him he’s missing Sophie, he replies: “I think that ship has sailed.”
However, viewers then saw a sad Neville looking at a picture of Sophie on his phone.
So it’s definitely a case of gone, but not forgotten.
Could Neville decide to leave Saint Marie to follow his heart?
Both Neville and Sophie are from Manchester, which would certainly make the decision easier.
At the moment, there are no plans for actor Ralf Little to leave Death in Paradise.
However, the lead actor is often replaced.
Ralf has played Neville since 2020.
He has not yet confirmed whether he’ll return for series 13 of the BBC series.
Sophie and Neville in Death in Paradise: Viewer reaction to romance
Death in Paradise fans have predicted Ralf may leave Saint Marie behind to follow Sophie to the UK.
Viewers know that his predecessor Humphrey Goodman, played by Kris Marshall, did exactly this in 2017.
One fan tweeted: “Is this the beginning of the end for Neville? #DeathInParadise.”
Another said: “So I take it Neville will do a Humphrey and move back home with Sophie in the near future?”
A third added: “I hope Sophie being a love interest doesn’t mean Neville is leaving #DeathinParadise.”
“Ok Neville’s finally grown on me, it’s certainly taken time but he’s grown on me…” added another. “Now the question is this his last season?”
Read more: Beyond Paradise on BBC One: The first look at Death in Paradise’s exciting new spin-off is here!
Death in Paradise fans can watch the show on Friday nights at 9pm on BBC One.
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