Death in Paradise viewers left gobsmacked after Les Dennis looks unrecognisable

Death in Paradise viewers were left shocked on Monday after Les Dennis looked unrecognisable during the show’s Christmas special. 

The actor, 69, transformed into mysterious psychic Danny Sheridan, donning a fake tan and dying his blonde locks black for the role.

The festive instalment saw Ralf Little return as Detective Inspector Neville Parker to investigate the murder of a podcaster, with Les as prime suspect. 

Shock: Death in Paradise viewers were left shocked on Monday after Les Dennis, 69, looked unrecognisable (left) during the show’s Christmas special (right, pictured in 2021) 

Sharing their surprise, one viewer took to Twitter to ask: ‘Flipping heck is that Les Dennis?’

While another fan wrote: ‘Been sitting there watching Death In Paradise special saying to myself I know that guy, took me 50 mins to work out I’m pretty sure it’s Les Dennis! I need to be better!’

And a third said: ‘Last night watched Death in Paradise @LesDennis was unrecognisable as Scouse psychic grifter! Particularly enjoyed the hair dye.’

Who? The actor, 69, transformed into mysterious psychic Danny Sheridan, donning a fake tan and dying his blonde locks black for the role

More went on to say: ‘Blimey that’s Les Dennis!’ and ‘Breathtaking performance, they may as well give Les Dennis the Bafta now’. 

After posting a snap of himself in character to social media, Les spoke about the early fan reaction to his unusual appearance.  

He told press ahead of the broadcast: ‘I was really surprised by it. At the moment, I’ve got a full ‘tache for Granddad in Only Fools and Horses.’

Can’t believe it: Viewers took to Twitter in their droves unable to believe the transformation 

‘So whenever I play a different character, I will sometimes change the way I look. But I suppose it was the black hair of Danny Sheridan…kind of deranged Jack Nicholson, I think, how can you get more deranged than Jack Nicholson anyway?

‘I was pleased with that, because it means that I’m inhabiting a role, and they’re interested to see who that character is.

‘But there was more to it than just dying his hair and layering on plenty of fake tan – he had to be careful not to sweat it off under the blazing Guadelope sun, the backdrop of the show’s fictional St. Marie island.

Deranged: Les said that he wanted his character to be a ‘derange Jack Nicholson’

Reaction: Speaking about the reaction he said: ‘I was really surprised by it. At the moment, I’ve got a full ‘tache for Granddad in Only Fools and Horses’ (pictured) 

‘It was [a lot of maintenance], I didn’t have a hair dye that was permanent. They would do it in the morning. So I would need to be in makeup for about an hour and a half.’

He continued: ‘And literally, when I finished the end of the day, I would have to go and shower that out because it was very dark. I don’t know what they were using, it was tricky to get out every night! 

‘I loved the fact that at first, I didn’t realise they were going to make my character look so different. On the first day I was thinking, ‘is this right?’ When I saw what they did, the makeup department were just brilliant.. This is Danny Sherid.’

Tricky: Blonde Les said of the hair dye: ”It was [a lot of maintenance], I didn’t have a hair dye that was permanent. They would do it in the morning. So I would need to be in makeup for about an hour and a half’