After their epic false-start at the end of season two, Beyond Paradise’s Martha (Sally Bretton) and Humphrey (Kris Marshall) have finally tied the knot in the most bonkers Martha and Humphrey way possible. With a secret wedding.
Well, secret to Humphrey, not so much for the viewers who undoubtedly sniffed out Martha’s plan from the moment she insisted he be out of work at five sharpish because, “we’re going Christmas shopping” – ergo getting hitched, obviously.
To be fair, fans did have a little help from the teaser pictures released ahead of the Christmas special’s debut. One in particular showed the couple in outfits that would put their Sunday-finests to shame. After all, it’s not often that one gets to wear a full-length ivory dress.
While their nuptials may not have been the same jaw-dropping experience for the fans as it was for Humphrey, an extra special treat was waiting in store and was delivered in the form of a Christmas-special crossover.
Death in Paradise’s Commissioner Selwyn (Don Warrington) made the trip from Guadeloupe’s Saint Marie to the UK to make a pit stop at Humphrey’s wedding before heading off to be with his daughter.
BBC
It’s always a joy when the Paraverse worlds collide (still keeping our fingers crossed for a Return to Paradise crossover soon) but Selwyn’s appearance holds an extra special meaning that even the truest fans may not have picked up on, and it’s rooted in season one of the spin-off show.
BBC
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Back when Martha’s ex-flame Archie (Jamie Bamber) was the “fly in the ointment” of her relationship with Humphrey, the possibility of a wedding between the pair felt near impossible.
The pressure of Archie’s mooning over Martha, coupled with their fertility problems, lead to the pair splitting up.
With the pain of their break-up weighing on Humphrey, the DI took a plane back to the Caribbean for a little restorative R&R in the hope of clearing his head. There, on Saint Marie’s beaches, he received counsel from the one and only Commissioner Selwyn, whose direct but caring words of encouragement prepped him for what was about to happen next. Martha’s arrival on the beach.
Denis Guyenon//BBC
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The two broken-hearted people, wounded over their separation, realised how much they needed each other.
“Did you mean what you said about us not being able to have kids?”, a tentative Martha asked Humphrey, who replied: “You’re all the family I need. There isn’t a me without you.”
These words and their reconciliation are a direct echo of something Martha said in the recent Christmas special. When asked by her mother if she was sure she was doing the right thing going ahead with a secret wedding, she answered: “It’s always been the same for us, all through the IVF and the fostering. The worry lurking under the surface, that we needed something else to be happy. That we might not be enough for each other on our own and this is the best way I can think of to show him that all I ever need is him, standing next to me holding my hand.”
BBC
Her desire to reassure Humphrey is a beautiful full-circle moment to that time on Saint Marie’s beach, when he did the same for her. When the fragile couple put their faith in one another and decided to make a go of things.
Selwyn’s presence could have come at any time during the season, but the fact that it happens here and now – especially when the writers are so clearly setting up another plot point involving the character elsewhere in the Death in Paradise special – is almost confirmation of this full-circle moment.
It binds both promises and their intention and creates another tender, memorable moment to add to the bank of Martha/Humphrey moments that make them the most beloved fan-favourite couple in the Paraverse.
Beyond Paradise, Death in Paradise and Return to Paradise all air on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.
Read more Beyond Paradise news on our dedicated homepage
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. Â For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. Â She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
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