Crew of RNLI Looe feature in Beyond Paradise episode 3

A spin-off from Death in Paradise, set in the Caribbean, Beyond Paradise features a rather more familiar backdrop as, while based in the fictional village of Shipton Abbott - said to be near the Devon coast - a large majority of the filming locations are actually here in Cornwall.

You can read more about filming locations in the second series as part of our live ‘watch along’ article on episode 1.

Last Friday’s episode featured the crew of ‘RNLI Shipton Abbott’ receiving a mayday call from a local trawler, reporting a missing person.

Launched to rendezvous with the trawler and begin a search, the mystery deepened when crew was unable to locate anyone in the water.

They then escorted the trawler back into Shipton Abbott harbour, where it was met by DI Humphrey Goodman [Kris Marshall] and DS Esther Williams [Zahra Ahmadi].

Shipton Abbott RNLI volunteer crew on the Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II escorting the trawler into Shipton Abbott harbour (Image: RNLI / Ian Foster)

For residents of Looe and the surrounding area, however, the crewmembers onboard the inshore lifeboat looked a little familiar.

It was, in fact, the real-life crew of RNLI Looe who feature in Beyond Paradise episode 3, with David Jackman, Jack Spree, Aaron Rix and Goron Jones spending a couple of days filming with the cast.

Also working behind the scenes were the volunteer shore crew, Eric Candy, Dave Mitchell, Dave Robinson, Richard Porter, Ian Foster and Dave Haines, along with one of the lifeboat station’s senior helms, and a fishing safety advisor, Clive Palfrey.

Looe RNLI volunteer crew David Jackman, Aaron Rix, Goron Jones and Jack Spree onboard the charity’s Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II (Image: RNLI / Ian Foster)

Much of the filming for Beyond Paradise takes place in Looe, with regular locations including the town’s Guildhall masquerading as Shipton Abbott Police Station.

Speaking about the experience, a spokesperson for Looe RNLI said: “For a few days filming last autumn, Looe took on the location of Shipton Abbott in the popular TV show Beyond Paradise.

“Our volunteer crew David Jackman, Jack Spree, Aaron Rix and Goron Jones had an enjoyable couple of days meeting the cast and crew and being a small part of the plot.

The crew escort the trawler back into harbour (Image: RNLI / Ian Foster)

“Behind the scenes volunteer shore crew, Eric Candy, Dave Mitchell, Dave Robinson, Richard Porter, Ian Foster and Dave Haines were on hand to ensure a safe launch and recovery of the Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II.

“Clive Palfrey, one of our senior helms, who is a fishing safety advisor, was on hand to help the cast stay safe and show them how to get in and out of the RNLI kit.”

However, they said people will have to watch the episode on catch up, via BBC iPlayer, to see what happened when Looe Lifeboat Station became Shipton Abbott Lifeboat Station.