Death in Paradise: Tobi Bakare speaks after departure from show
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Sergeant JP Hooper (played by Tobi Bakare) decided to leave Death in Paradise at the end of series 10 as he wanted to spend more time with his wife and children. However, it wasn’t long before BBC bosses confirmed actress Shantol Jackson would replace him as officer Naomi Thomas. Fans were introduced to Naomi at the beginning of series 11, and it was clear to see the police officer was keen to impress Neville Parker (Ralf Little) and Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert).
However, before his shock exit, JP got to meet bad boy turned trainee police officer Marlon Pryce (Tahj Miles) and it’s safe to say the pair didn’t get off to the best of starts.
Although, despite clashing several times, the duo put their differences aside for the sake of the team.
JP and Marlon may not have got along on-screen, but off-screen, the actors who play them get on like a house on fire.
Speaking to Tahj in his Table Read podcast, Tobi opened up about why he decided to leave the show.
The actor also discussed how he got into acting and even admitted at one point in his career he made the decision to quit.
However, luckily for him, his teacher at drama school convinced him otherwise.
Tobi told his former co-star that his friends at school convinced him to apply for drama school, and after the first three weeks, he caught the acting bug.
“But it was a toss-up between football and acting because the football was going good,” Tobi explained.
“I was around about the age of 14 and as the football was going good as well, I was like, ‘I’m going to have to like quit this acting thing to pursue football.'”
The JP Hooper star went on to explain he’d received offers from various football clubs and so, at the time, he made the decision to quit.
Although, when he went to tell his drama school teacher, the actor quickly changed his mind.
“I was like getting into the Hackney team on the verge of getting into the London team and I was just like, ‘Okay, cool, this is something that I can do,’ you know?
“And plus, when you’re from my ends, Hackney or South London or wherever football is the pathway out, everyone wants to be a footballer.
“That was my bag and my older brother was a football player, my dad used to play football when he was in Nigeria, so there’s a history of it as well.
“So basically, I ended up deciding to go ahead and quit the drama school.
“I was like, ‘I am going to go in and tell them I am done’ and then I go in and I’m like, ‘I’m thinking of leaving my football is going good’.”
Tobi concluded: “And then Femi Oguns, who is the founder of Identity Drama School. He was also a teacher at that time, because it was so fresh, he had to do everything.
“He just tells me he goes, ‘Just stay’ and I went, ‘Okay’ and I walked in, and didn’t look back. It was so strange.”
Tobi left the series at the end of series 10 and was replaced with a new police officer, Naomi who was keen to make her mark.
In series 11, Josephine Jobert also made a return as Florence Cassell, although, her stint was short-lived as she left the series soon after.
Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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