Death In Paradise star Ben Miller's life from famous exes to health battle and side job

Ben Miller is arguably most recognised for his portrayal of Detective Inspector Richard Poole in the hit series Death In Paradise, having been at the forefront of the show's first two seasons.

However, the 59-year-old actor dramatically left the BBC programme when he departed at the beginning of series three, much to the dismay of viewers who felt the series had been "ruined" without him.

His character was dramatically written out of the story, falling victim to a fatal incident that paved the way for Kris Marshall to step in as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman, tasked with solving the mystery of Richard's untimely end.

The actor's exit from the popular series surprised loyal fans, but it was a necessary move for Ben, who chose to focus on family life after learning his wife was expecting a child during the show's production.

Facing the prospect of working exhausting hours far from home and missing precious moments with his growing family, Ben opted to step away from Death In Paradise, reports .

Before his success in the crime drama, Ben found his fame in comedy as one part of the duo Armstrong and Miller. He has also made his mark as Angus Jeremy Bough in the Johnny English film series and as James Lester in the ITV's sci-fi phenomenon Primeval. Now he's appearing in new BBC One comedy, Austin.

Private affairs

Ben lives a tranquil life with his wife, film producer Jessica Park, daughter to the renowned musician Alan Parker who is a celebrity in the TV and movie industry. Together, Ben and Jessica are the proud parents of two children.

They cemented their relationship in marriage back in 2013 and have embraced a serene existence amid the beauty of the Cotswolds since then. Their family began with the birth of their son Harrison in 2011, and they later welcomed their daughter Lana in 2015.

The family grappled with Ben's demanding shooting schedule, discovering Jessica's pregnancy with Harrison during the first season of filming Death in Paradise.

In pursuit of additional space and a more suitable family environment, Jessica and Ben moved from their London residence to Cirencester. Reflecting on this change, Ben mentioned to The Telegraph: "We needed more room because our son, Harrison, who was three, was bouncing off the walls. I mean literally bouncing off the walls."

Celebrity ex-wife

Before his time with Jessica, Ben's first wife was acclaimed actress Belinda Stewart-Wilson, famous for portraying Will McKenzie's attractive mother, Polly, in the much-adored sitcom The Inbetweeners.

Belinda has also gained recognition for her roles in Stay Close and Sick Note, and notably appeared alongside Ben in Primeval. The pair tied the knot in 2004 and were blessed with a son, Sonny, in 2006. However, the marriage came to an end when they divorced in 2011.

During a 2010 interview with The Guardian, Ben spoke candidly about their separation, stating: "My wife and I have been separated for a while, but we have an arrangement where Sonny spends half the time with me and half the time with her.

"I very much wanted the perfect nuclear family, and I came from the perfect nuclear family, but like so many people, that isn't the way things have worked out. I'm very lucky in that Belinda and I are good friends."

Movie star ex-girlfirend

In a moving piece for the Daily Mail, Ben fondly reflected on his formative years at Cambridge University's St Catherine's College, where he truly began to carve out his identity. It was during this transformative period that he recognised his passion for performing arts, leading him to abandon his academic pursuits in favour of comedy.

Yet during his studies, he found love with none other than the acclaimed movie star Rachel Weisz, renowned for her portrayal of Evelyn O'Connell in The Mummy film series.

He recounted: "I joined the Footlights drama club and met a lot of creative, witty people, including Rachel Weisz, who was my girlfriend for a time. Footlights gave me enormous confidence, and being around people who were so funny and clever was wonderful."

Health struggles

Discussing his private battles, the actor has previously been candid about his struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), especially significant after landing the lead in ITV's drama series Professor T as Professor Jasper Tempest.

While speaking with The Express, Ben divulged: "I did struggle a lot with OCD, particularly in my twenties, and I'm very lucky in that it's all very manageable now. But there were times where it was unmanageable."

In Professor T, Jasper is a criminological mastermind plagued by OCD a character trait with personal resonance for Ben, having similarly grappled with the condition throughout his life. His appearance on This Morning offered insight into his role and its deeper personal significance.

In 2022, he revealed a personal connection to his on-screen role, stating: "I've talked about this from the very beginning. I also have OCD, so when I came across this part, it was a very exciting moment for me to play this character."

He then discussed how his personal experience influenced his portrayal: "My symptoms, I guess you could say, are very different and sort of present in different ways to the professor, and I also had cognitive behavioural therapy to help me, I suppose you could say, ameliorate [them]."

Ben went on to describe the emotional resonance the character holds for him: "So, for me, it's very emotional to play this character because he's completely unashamed. I was always very ashamed of my OCD, that's one of the reasons why I got the treatment, [Professor T] doesn't really care. He makes everyone else go along with every single tiny detail of his regime."

Side hustle

When not acting, Ben stays active in the literary world, indulging his passion for writing children's fiction.

His authorial ventures include titles such as The Boy Who Made The World Disappear, Diary Of A Big Bad Wolf, and The Day I Fell Into A Fairytale, all of which contribute to his status as a popular children's book author.

Recently, Ben appeared on Chris Evans' radio breakfast show discussing his latest book and reflected on his writing career: "I get so much joy out of doing this. It's something I never thought I would end up doing. I started out doing comedy with Alexander Armstrong. We were so focused on sketches."

Reflecting on his journey into writing, he shared: "You take a little side road and you think, 'I'll write a little story, and you end up in a whole new area that you'd never even imagined."

Austin is on BBC One on Friday, April 4 at 9.30pm and Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer