Fans of Death In Paradise got a big shock in the 2023 Christmas special when DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) — inspired by her boss's free-spirited mum, Melanie Parker (Doon Mackichan) — got a little bit drunk at the Commissioner's Christmas Eve drinks party and kissed Officer Marlon Pryce (Tahj Miles) on the lips!
The unexpected smooch, witnessed by a stunned DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) and Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington), happened at the very end of the feature-length festive special, leaving little time for discussion. However, as the smash-hit Caribbean-set crime drama returns for its 13th series, star Shantol Jackson confirms that the drunken snog will have a few consequences for Naomi as she faces an awkward conversation with her colleague...
"The relationship between Marlon and Naomi is quite sacred for her," explains Shantol. "I think her concern mainly is 'I don't want to lose my friend'. Does she decide to explore being more than friends? Does she know whether or not Marlon wants that? As the series progresses, we'll see how that goes, but the most important thing for her is for things not to get too awkward. At the end of the day, they are partners and they have to get the job done — you can't be distracted, so how do we get past this hurdle?"
It might well be a difficult conversation for super-professional Naomi, but carefree Marlon, on the other hand, is unlikely to be quite so worked-up.
"We see Naomi trying to navigate this situation," explains Shantol. "Marlon's being quite cool and casual about it, and she's all over the place!"
Whatever this might mean for Naomi and Marlon's future relationship, the kiss and its aftermath are set to be a turning point for Naomi, as the diligent Detective Sergeant decides to put a little more effort into her personal life — with a little help from her colleague, Officer Darlene Curtis (Ginny Holder).
"Naomi is trying to break out of her shell," teases Shantol. "She realises it's not all just about work, you have to invest in other aspects of your life — so she decides to go on double dates with Darlene!"
Death In Paradise returns to BBC One on Sunday February 4 at 9 pm and in the US on Thursday, February 15 on BritBox.
