Death In Paradise viewers 'devastated' as series kicks off with tragic twist
The fourteenth season of the hit BBC show began tonight
BBC's Death In Paradise returned for its fourteenth series only to shock viewers with an unexpected turn of events minutes into the season opener.
The show, which aired tonight at 9pm (January 31), began by introducing a new character, Officer Benjamin Brice. The story delved into his background, covering his tough childhood and his journey through police training until his proud moment of graduation.
Audiences hear Benjamin's hopeful message in a touching clip he records for social media, just before he is due to start work at Police Saint Marie.
"I want you to know, if you're feeling lost you don't need to go through what I did - you just need to find your purpose in life like me. And once you do, nobody can take that away from you," Benjamin expresses with optimism, before smiling proudly at his police uniform hanging up.
The loveable character was killed off just minutes in (Image: BBC)
However, he never makes it to his first day on the job, as a subsequent scene reveals his body by the roadside following an emergency call from a jogger, reports the Mirror.
This gut-wrenching plot twist left viewers reeling, and occurred before the opening theme song had even played.
"This might be the most emotionally devastating our theme song has ever felt. Never getting over this one," lamented a devoted fan, commenting further: "Fastest I've ever fallen for a character and had them ripped away... Fully broke my heart, poor Benjamin."
"I was not expecting that start to Death in Paradise. WHAAAAAAAT!? " declared one viewer, clearly taken aback, as they included a shocked face emoji with their comment.
Benjamin was seen recording a video message before he died (Image: BBC)
Another fan drew a comparison between the episode's opener and the famously devastating start to Pixar's Up, whilst one more remarked: "Benjamin Brice was killed quicker than Charlie Hulme."
Despite his character Office Brice having limited screen time on Death in Paradise, the actor behind him, Anthony J Abraham, made a lasting impact. His portrayal of the unfortunate officer adds to a resume that includes roles like Fillik in The Acolyte and Jack Ryan in Bad Education.
The latest season of Death In Paradise sees Don Gilet step into the spotlight as the new lead detective DI Mervin Wilson, taking the baton from Ralf Little's DI Neville Parker.
Death in Paradise's first episode of Season 14 is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer
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