Why Tobi Bakare Left Death in Paradise: A Spiritual and Practical Exit
Tobi Bakare, who played Sergeant JP Hooper in Death in Paradise, left the show after seven seasons, with his exit airing in the season 10 finale on February 18, 2021. His character, a fan-favorite cop on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, took a job as Head of the Police Training Programme, moving his family—wife Rosie and twin daughters—off the island. Bakare’s departure, after 54 episodes from 2015 to 2021, hit fans hard, with 7.5 million viewers tuning in for the finale, per Wikipedia. Why did he leave? It wasn’t just career moves or family logistics, though those played a part. A spiritual moment in a Guadeloupe church in 2017 set his exit in motion, three years before he left, per Radio Times. This article digs into why Bakare walked away, why it mattered to the show, how his exit was handled, common mistakes in actor departures, what happens when a key character leaves, and whether Death in Paradise has an ending, plus the side question about JP and Rosie’s real-life status.
Why Tobi Bakare Left Death in Paradise
Bakare’s exit wasn’t a snap decision. In 2017, while filming season 7 in Guadeloupe, where the show shoots to create Saint Marie, he had a moment that changed everything. He was in a church, and the preacher mentioned “seven years” in a sermon, per Radio Times. Bakare, a Christian, felt it like a bolt. He’d been on the show four years, with three left to hit seven. He told his wife, Prisca Bakare, who was in the UK, and asked her to pray on it. She called back the next day, saying 2020—exactly seven years from his 2014 start—felt right, per Express. That spiritual clarity, not logistics, was the real driver, though he gave a “media answer” too: after seven years, he wanted to explore new roles, and his daughter was starting school, per HELLO!.
But family did weigh in. Bakare has three kids, all under five during season 10, per Radio Times. Filming in Guadeloupe for six months each year, April to October, meant long stretches away from his family in London, per IMDb. Other Death in Paradise stars, like Ben Miller (DI Richard Poole) and Kris Marshall (DI Humphrey Goodman), left for similar reasons, citing the strain of transatlantic parenting, per Wales Online. Bakare, though, insisted travel wasn’t the main issue. If another project required travel, he and Prisca would consider it, per Express. His faith-driven decision set a firm timeline, and he stuck to it, wrapping up in 2020, with his final episode airing in 2021, per Wikipedia.
Bakare also felt JP’s arc was complete. Joining in season 4’s “Stab in the Dark” as a rookie under Humphrey Goodman, JP grew from a nervous cop to a sergeant mentoring recruits like Ruby Patterson and Marlon Pryce, per IMDb. By season 10, with a wife, twins, and a promotion offer from Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, JP’s story felt rounded, per HELLO!. Bakare told Radio Times he was proud of JP’s growth, from “wide-eyed” to a mentor, and didn’t want to overstay, per. His return in season 14’s opener, aired January 31, 2025, as a guest star investigating a recruit’s murder, shows he left on good terms, per Express.
Why His Exit Mattered
JP Hooper was a cornerstone of Death in Paradise, which has aired since 2011 and hit 9.03 million viewers at its season 4 peak, per Wikipedia. With 230 territories broadcasting it, per BBC, the show’s global fanbase felt JP’s absence. He was the earnest heart of the Honoré Police Station, working under three DIs—Goodman, Mooney, and Parker—across 54 episodes, per IMDb. His exit, kept secret until the season 10 penultimate episode, shocked fans, with X posts from February 2021, per, calling it “gut-wrenching.” Co-star Joséphine Jobert, who played Florence Cassell, told HELLO! she cried at his goodbye, feeling “abandoned” after joining the show together in 2015, per.
The departure mattered because Death in Paradise thrives on its ensemble. Losing JP, one of only two original season 4 cast members by 2021 (with Catherine Bordey), risked disrupting the show’s cozy vibe, likened to Midsomer Murders by IMDb. Season 10’s 7.5 million viewers, down from season 4’s peak, showed the stakes, per Wikipedia. Fans on Reddit, per, worried the show’s frequent cast changes—only Catherine and Selwyn remain from season 1—could erode loyalty, especially with spin-offs like Beyond Paradise (5.2 million viewers) and Return to Paradise (6.1 million debut) competing, per Radio Times.
How Bakare’s Exit Was Handled
The show crafted JP’s exit carefully. In season 10, episode 7, aired February 11, 2021, JP gave a presentation defending recruit Marlon Pryce, catching the eye of a training board, per Radio Times. Commissioner Patterson offered him the Head of the Police Training Programme job, location unspecified but off Saint Marie, per. JP hesitated, loving his life with Rosie (played by Prisca Bakare) and their twins, Molly and Bethany, born in episode 6, per Wikipedia. After a heart-to-heart with Rosie, he accepted, and the finale, “I’ll Never Let You Go,” showed him leaving, aired to 7.5 million, per IMDb.
The exit was grounded in JP’s arc. His marriage in season 8’s “Beyond the Shining Sea” (8.1 million viewers) and fatherhood gave him stakes to weigh, per Radio Times. The show kept it secret, avoiding leaks that could’ve dulled the impact, per Bakare’s Radio Times interview, per. His final scenes, mentoring Marlon and saying goodbye at Catherine’s Bar, hit emotionally, with fans on X, per, praising the “perfect send-off.” Bakare’s return in season 13 and 14, per Express, proves the door’s open, unlike killed-off characters like Richard Poole, per.
Common Mistakes in Actor Departures
Death in Paradise has seen 11 major exits since 2011, per IMDb, and not all worked. Here’s where JP’s exit succeeded or stumbled:
Rushed Exits: Unlike Fidel Best’s abrupt season 3 departure, JP’s exit spanned two episodes, with buildup from his Marlon presentation, per Radio Times. Mistake avoided.
Ignoring Character Arcs: Some exits, like Florence Cassell’s first in season 4, felt sudden, per IMDb. JP’s promotion tied to his growth, avoiding this, per HELLO!.
Overused Tropes: The show often sends characters to new jobs (Humphrey, Jack Mooney), risking repetition, per Wikipedia. JP’s felt fresh due to his family focus, but the trope’s wearing thin, per Reddit.
Fan Backlash: Ben Miller’s 2014 exit as Richard Poole, killed off, angered fans, per Express. JP’s open-ended exit, with return potential, softened the blow, per.
Cast Chemistry Loss: JP’s bond with Dwayne Myers and Marlon was key, per IMDb. His exit left a gap, with Naomi Thomas’s season 11 entry feeling “forced” to some fans, per Reddit.
What Happens When a Key Character Leaves?
A major exit like JP’s can shake Death in Paradise. Viewership dipped from 9.03 million in season 4 to 7.5 million in season 10, partly due to cast turnover, per Wikipedia. Fans on X, per, felt “heartbroken,” and Reddit threads, per, debated if the show could recover. The Guadeloupe shoot, with pricey sets like the Honoré station, needs strong ratings to justify costs, per IMDb. Losing JP risked pushing viewers to rivals like Netflix’s Murder in Maharajah (8 million streams in 2025), per Digital Spy.
On the upside, JP’s exit opened new stories. Naomi Thomas, introduced in season 11, brought fresh dynamics, though her 7.3/10-rated debut episode lagged JP’s 7.8/10 season 10 finale, per IMDb. Bakare’s return in season 14, mentoring a murdered recruit, boosted buzz, with fans on Instagram, per, begging for more episodes. The show’s Paraverse—Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise—leans on the main series’ pull, per Radio Times. A bad exit could’ve hurt all three, but JP’s graceful departure kept fans engaged, with season 14 hitting 7.7 million, per Wikipedia.
The cast felt it too. Joséphine Jobert told HELLO! she felt “abandoned,” and Tahj Miles, who played Marlon, said JP’s exit conflicted him, per Express. Bakare told Miles he’d have stayed another year for their dynamic, per, showing the emotional weight. If mishandled, exits can sour cast morale, risking more departures, per Digital Spy’s 2024 cast turnover analysis.
Does Death in Paradise Have an Ending?
On the side question: Death in Paradise has no fixed ending. Renewed through season 15, set for January 2026, per Radio Times, it’s a BBC and France 2 staple, airing since 2011 with 114 episodes by season 14, per IMDb. Each season wraps its murders, but the ensemble format—new DIs, officers, and guests—keeps it open-ended, per Wikipedia. Spin-offs like Beyond Paradise (renewed for 2026) and Return to Paradise (6.1 million debut) expand the “Paraverse,” per Telly Visions. Unlike finite series like Broadchurch, its cozy formula, likened to Midsomer Murders, thrives on continuity, per IMDb. Season 14’s new DI, Mervin Wilson, and returns like JP’s, show it’s built to evolve, not end, per What to Watch.
JP and Rosie’s Real-Life Status
On the other side question: Tobi Bakare (JP) and Prisca Bakare (Rosie) are married in real life, unlike earlier assumptions. Tobi confirmed Prisca, who played Rosie in seasons 7 to 10, is his wife, with three children, per IMDb and Radio Times, per,. Earlier sources, like HELLO! 2018, suggested Tobi was married to someone else, but recent clarifications, per Express, confirm Prisca took over as Rosie from Fola Evans-Akingbola in season 10, per. Their real-life marriage added authenticity to JP and Rosie’s on-screen family, per Radio Times.
Why Bakare’s Exit Resonates
Tobi Bakare’s exit from Death in Paradise wasn’t just about a job or travel woes—it was a deeply personal choice, sparked by a preacher’s words in a Guadeloupe church, per Radio Times. His seven-year run, from 2015 to 2021, left JP Hooper etched in fans’ minds, with 54 episodes and a 7.8/10-rated finale, per IMDb. The show handled it well, tying his departure to his arc and keeping the door open, as seen in his season 14 return, per Express. But the risks—viewership dips, cast morale, fan backlash—show why exits matter. Death in Paradise rolls on, with no end in sight, per Radio Times, and JP’s legacy endures.
Catch seasons 1-14 on BBC iPlayer or BritBox, per JustWatch, and watch for season 15 in January 2026, per What to Watch. Bakare’s story, from rookie to mentor, proves why Death in Paradise keeps its sunny grip on fans, even when favorites like JP leave Saint Marie.
