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Since first arriving on screens in 2011, Death in Paradise has become one of the BBC's most-loved dramas, attracting millions of viewers with its mix of murder mysteries and Caribbean sunshine.

The hour-long episodes have kept viewers hooked as the show focuses on solving a murder on the fictional island of Saint Marie.

Over the years, the show's original cast members have become household names both on and off screen, with many going on to enjoy hugely successful careers in television, theatre and entertainment.

But away from the cameras, their personal lives have often made headlines too, from high-profile relationship struggles and marriage breakdowns to controversies surrounding appearances on Strictly Come Dancing.

As the love of the show continues to thrive here's a closer look at what happened to some the original stars after leaving Saint Marie behind.

Ben Miller was the first actor to play a detective on Saint Marie and there have been several others since. Ben played the role of Detective Inspector Richard Poole.

At first, the character struggled to adapt to life in Saint Marie and found island living difficult during the opening series, although he gradually became more comfortable with his surroundings over time.

His story came to a dramatic end at the beginning of series three when he was killed during a reunion at Cambridge University after threatening to reveal an identity fraud scheme.

Actor Ben chose to step away from Death in Paradise in 2014 as he wanted to focus on his personal life and growing family ahead of becoming a father. The star previously revealed: "Two weeks after I arrived in the Caribbean, Jessica found out that she was pregnant. I've just got divorced and I've finally met somebody and now I'm on the other side of the world and we're having a baby.

"That's a proper curveball to be on the end of. So I knew what I had to do to get my wife back - quit Death in Paradise!"

Kris Marshall, who was known for his role in BBC comedy My Family, joined Death in Paradise at the start of its third season, stepping into the lead role after Ben Miller's exit.

Playing the lovable DI Humphrey Goodman, he quickly embraced the laid-back Caribbean lifestyle and developed feelings for DS Camille Bordey.

But he eventually left the show himself in 2017, later revealing that filming overseas had placed strain on life with his young family. He told Radio Times: "It's something my wife and I discussed three or four years ago. When I was first offered the job, my son was six months old and my wife wasn't working, so it was a very easy decision.

"We decided I would do Death in Paradise for a few years until it became impractical. "It was always quite a finite thing. I certainly didn't hide it from anyone I work with."

The star now is the leading man in the spin-off series, Beyond Paradise which is set in the UK.

Officer Dwayne Myers, played by Red Dwarf actor Danny John-Jules, remained a key member of the Death in Paradise team for years before unexpectedly disappearing at the start of Season 8.

In the storyline, Dwayne left Saint Marie to set off on a life-changing journey with his estranged father after the pair reunited.

Danny John-Jules later explained that he chose to leave the show while it was still at its peak, as he was eager to return to performing on stage. Soon after his exit, he joined the 2018 series of Strictly Come Dancing alongside professional partner Amy Dowden.

His time on the dance competition came to an end when he was voted out in week eight. However, during his time on Strictly, Danny was accused of rowing with his Strictly partner Amy Dowden, but this was squashed.

Amy said: "Things did get a little bit intense the other day in rehearsals. But do you know what, we took a half an hour break and then got straight to it. I've never felt bullied or threatened by Danny." Meanwhile Danny publicly refuted any allegations of bullying.

Former undercover officer Camille played by Sara Martins initially struggled to get along with DI Poole, but over time the pair developed a strong working relationship, with subtle hints of romantic tension between them.

After Poole's departure, she continued working closely with DI Goodman, and the two eventually shared a kiss before Camille left Saint Marie midway through series four to take on an undercover assignment in Paris.

Actress Sara later admitted that stepping away from Death in Paradise was an emotional decision, but she felt ready to pursue new opportunities and challenge herself professionally. She also revealed there was never any intention to kill off the character, leaving the door open for a possible return in the future.

Following her exit, Sara went on to star in projects including American Odyssey, Father Brown and several French-language films. Speaking after reprising her role for the show's 10th anniversary, she said Camille remained a character that stayed with her wherever she went.

Ralf Little played the role of Detective Neville Parker on the show and took over the role from Father Ted star Ardal O'Hanlon, who played DI Jack Mooney.

He later explained on BBC Breakfast that his own departure from Death in Paradise had always been planned after completing five seasons on the fictional island.

He said: "You know, this last series was always going to be my last series. I spoke to the BBC and Red Planet, the production company, and we all agreed.

"If it was just a heart decision, I would have wanted to do it for 20 more years. But just for the show and for my character Neville it just sort of felt like his story was finished and his journey deserved to be completed. He deserved a happy ending and it just felt right."

Since then the star has continued on his acting career and is currently sharing his passions on stage.

Actress Josephine Jobert played Florence Cassell in Death in Paradise who steadily progressrf through the ranks on the island's police force.

Fans feared the character would be killed off after Florence was shot while tracking her fiancé Patrice, who had become entangled in a deadly murder scheme, to a deserted warehouse.

Fortunately, DI Mooney reached her in time and Florence survived the terrifying ordeal. However, shaken by the experience, she later chose to walk away from both her detective career and life on Saint Marie.

Joséphine later addressed her departure from the show, insisting there was no behind-the-scenes drama involved. Speaking in a video shared on Twitter, she explained her exit was simply due to "personal and professional reasons".

She reassured fans that everything was amicable and said she had loved her time on the series, adding that she would miss the show and appreciated all the support viewers had given her.

Death In Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.