Death in Paradise is returning to screens, with Don Gilet leading the cast as DI Mervin Wilson. The former EastEnders star has been a beloved member of the show since 2024 and he’s joined by stars including Shanton Jackson, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah and Don Warrington.
Away from the show, Don is in a relationship with Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran. However, before settling down with the star, the 59-year-old was married to fellow thespian Tracy Whitwell, who he shares a son with.
Speaking of his son back in 2014, Don described him as “pretty rambunctious”. “I think he’s got some of my playful genes… I have fun at work, but when I get home, I have to become a father and keep an eye on him not getting too wild,” he told The Sunday Post.
“He’s a lovely kid but he’s very active and loves to run about the place. If you wind him up to play you have to allow the time to calm him before he beds down at night.”
Here’s all you need to know about Tracy and her relationship with the popular star…
Who is Tracy Whitwell?
Tracy is an accomplished actress and author, moving from Gateshead, where she was born, all the way down to London to pursue a career in entertainment. Speaking to Living North in 2023 about her career path, she said: “I worked with Live Theatre in Newcastle and the Little Theatre in Gateshead and I just had to brave telling my dad that I wasn’t going to be a banker.”
Tracy acted for 12 years, picking up credits in Soldier Soldier, Playing the Field, 55 Degrees North and EastEnders. She subsequently discovered a love of writing, and penned the stage show, KABOOM!.
© Getty ImagesTracy is also a professional medium
In 2012, she adopted writing as her full-time career, penning The Accidental Medium book series, alongside the 38-page Sweary Witch.
The star also has a slightly more unusual career, confessing in 2023 that she has done “ghost busts” with a close friend, who is a tarot card reader. Speaking to Living North, she explained: “My great-grandmother (who I didn’t meet) was actually a well-known medium in Gateshead.
“People would come to her and give her their jewellery in exchange for a reading. But my mam left it until I started hearing voices before she told me! Then I found out loads of things about my family, and so progressed with being a medium.”
