Beyond Paradise set for huge Martha and Archie plot twist

Martha (Sally Bretton) and Archie (Jamie Bamber) stand in front of the counter at Martha's café Ten Mile Kitchen. Martha has her hands clasped in front of her, and Archie is casually leaning on the counter.

(Image credit: BBC)

Beyond Paradise is heading for a major moment between Humphrey's fiancée Martha and her ex Archie Hughes.

DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) and Martha (Sally Bretton) came to Devon to escape London life and settle down. However, their comfy existence has been rocked since Archie (played by Jamie Bamber) came on the scene.

On the outside, everything seems innocent enough, with businessman Archie supplying wine and some investment into Martha's cafe.

However, there's also been plenty of hints that Archie still holds a flame for Martha. Humphrey is also worried that Archie might be up to no good and an awkward beer between the pair did nothing to dissuade him.

Now, the BBC has teased there's more drama ahead in the delayed fourth episode, to be shown this Friday (Beyond Paradise didn’t air last week due to Comic Relief).

Martha's cafe will be visited by a food critic, which she's not surprisingly nervous about. But Archie helps her "rise to the occasion". However, she accidentally misses an important IVF appointment. The BBC teases that this gives her pause for thought as she questions what she really wants.

You could take this either as Martha questioning whether she still wants to start a family or, more dramatically, whether she wants to be with Humphrey.

The plot information reveals that this leads to a big moment with Archie. Do the pair kiss? Does Archie try to kiss Martha and she doesn’t respond? Or does she kiss him back?

Jamie Bamber as Archie Hughes in Beyond Paradise, wearing a dark jacket and standing in a field — Can Martha resist handsome Archie? (Image credit: BBC)

It says Archie "misreads" the situation, which hints that Archie gets the wrong idea. The plot also adds the situation has "unforeseen consequences". Does Humphrey see Archie try to kiss Martha?

Meanwhile, episode four will focus on a bizarre case where a dead man is found in the middle of a crop circle. Humphrey and the team must work out how he got there. Conspiracy theorists suggest that aliens are the culprits, but Humphrey rules that out! Esther is sure that the answer lies nearer to home and the case takes them to an illegal rave.

Can the team crack the crop circle case? And will Humphrey and Martha get their life back on track? Or is Archie set to cause chaos?

Beyond Paradise continues on BBC One on Friday at 8 pm.

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough.

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!