Inside Beyond Paradise locations and the place crying out to be in BBC crime drama

Edinburgh Live

7 hours ago

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As one of the most beloved crime dramas on BBC, it's only fitting that Beyond Paradise's sets are as impressive and detailed as the show itself. The programme reinvents the successful premise of Death In Paradise, set in a fictional coastal village in Devon.
With fan-favourite Humphrey Goodman (portrayed by Kris Marshall) now partnered with DS Esther Williams (Zara Ahmadi), the series follows their adventures in a new precinct, maintaining all the classic elements of a crime drama.
As an avid viewer, I was thrilled to spend a day exploring some of the most scenic towns featured in the series. After a six-hour journey to sunny Buckfastleigh, I immediately took a leisurely walk around the charming village, often shown on screen under the fictional name Shipton Abbott.
(Image: Express)
It was a surreal experience walking through the streets so frequently depicted on television and reminiscing about some of my favourite scenes. The town was adorned with summer bunting strung up between the shops and cafes along the main street.
The high street was bustling with people making the most of the glorious heatwave, enjoying a weekend stroll through the thriving independent shops, reports the Express.
The locals were brimming with tales of their encounters with the show's stars and proudly exhibited photos taken with the stellar cast in their shops.
Devoted fans may be surprised to learn that many of the high street shops were entirely transformed for the series.
A local wine bar, Dough, was repurposed as a quaint chocolate shop for the show, a coffee bar was turned into a fudge shop, and a hair salon typically known as Plum was rebranded 'Snip and Style' for filming.
We also took the opportunity to visit the South Devon Railway station in the village, which served as the setting for a chilling murder in the show back in 2024.
(Image: BBC)
Die-hard fans might recall how the Devon railway became the focal point in the opening episode of the second series, featuring an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery play rehearsal that took a fatal twist.
TV detectives can even tap into their inner sleuth as the railway has launched a new murder mystery experience following the episode's broadcast. Presented by Murder by Appointment, the Train to Nowhere experience is a 1950s themed evening filled with suspense and intrigue.
Guests are invited to a party on a train hosted by a flamboyant and successful film director, where he plans to remake the iconic 1945 film Brief Encounter.
However, jealousy and corruption soon split the cast, leading to an unforeseen murder which attendees will need to solve before the train journey concludes.
(Image: Express)
Another treat that fans can savour during a day trip to Buckfastleigh is a tour around the town's magnificent abbey - a location that seems destined to feature in a future episode.
The grand abbey fell into disrepair following the dissolution of the monasteries during the reign of King Henry VII. However, in 1882, a group of French monks took up residence and meticulously restored the magnificent building brick by brick.
After a quarter-century of hard graft, the Abbey church was consecrated and is now a bustling monastery, with monks regularly seen going about their religious practices across the site.
The building itself is a marvel to behold, nestled amidst beautifully adorned yet functional gardens and ancient oak trees that have stood for millennia.
(Image: Express)
It also boasts a medicinal garden brimming with plants and fruit trees used to treat a variety of ailments, as well as a decorative garden teeming with a plethora of flowers and water features.
But one unexpected feature the monastery possesses is a dramatic stained-glass installation of Jesus Christ at the rear of the church, casting a rainbow of colours throughout the room.
This artistic feature was installed by artist Charles Norris back in 1968, alongside a stained-glass studio on site where he completed his eight-metre wide window before dedicating his life to the church as a monk.
The abbey is open to tourists free of charge and also features a delightful cafe overlooking the grounds and a gift shop stocked with handmade items and herbs and plants grown in-house.
The breathtaking architecture is simply begging to be a future set for the BBC crime drama, and with filming for the fourth series poised to kick off any week now, it could very well be. Fans will need to stay alert for their favourite Devon and Cornwall spots appearing in the evening programme, which is slated to premiere in Spring 2026.
Beyond Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer