BBC Beyond Paradise fans thrilled as they spot nod to iconic Death In Paradise character

Fans of BBC's Beyond Paradise were over the moon when a beloved character from Death In Paradise was mentioned in the latest episode. Kris Marshall's character, Humphrey Goodman, brought up his Aunt Mary (portrayed by Wendy Craig), whom fans haven't seen since 2016 when Humphrey was solving mysteries in Saint Marie.

"My Aunt Mary has dementia," he revealed. "So I hope I have some small understanding of what it must be like for you. You know I only wish I could offer you some words of comfort."

This brief mention set social media alight, with viewers expressing their joy on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. @bymbeth13 tweeted: "Aunt Mary shoutout ! ! ! #beyondparadise."

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@kodiakmoonwolf was thrilled: "#BeyondParadise Aunt Mary reference! ! ! ! ! Love when we get the nods back to a character's established past...loved that episode of #deathinparadise with Aunt Mary."

@carlagodfrey reminisced: "Aunt Mary! He gave her a 'rocking chair' moment. #beyondparadise," reports the Express. The excitement was palpable as @noitsabi posted in all caps: "@BeyondPOfficial AUNT MARY MENTION #beyondparadise."

Curiosity was sparked in @SophFigueira95 who asked: "The aunt Mary we met on @deathinparadise? #BeyondParadise." And @hopalongcassell simply stated: "AUNT MARY OH MY GOSH #BeyondParadise."

Humphrey didn't elaborate further, but the revelation that Aunt Mary is still alive paves the way for her potential return. As Humphrey and his fiancee Martha Lloyd (played by Sally Bretton) are in the midst of wedding planning, could she make an unexpected appearance?

TV veteran Wendy Craig, who portrayed Aunt Mary, is still active at 89, so it's not out of the question that she could pop up. When asked why she accepted the role, the Butterflies star said: "Well, it came out of the blue and I've never been to the Caribbean before, so it was indeed a wonderful opportunity. I just thought it would be fun. What an adventure for an old lady to have."

"It seems that she has had a big hand in bringing him up so Aunt Mary is very close to him. She's bright, intelligent and humorous," she hinted.

Whether this signals her comeback or not, fans will simply have to wait and see.