Looe RNLI Volunteers Star in Beyond Paradise Episode: A Shipton Abbott Mystery

Photo Credit: BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Joss Barratt – Looe RNLI volunteer crew Jack Spree, David Jackman, Goron Jones and Aaron Rix with Kris Marshall on East Looe Quay during filming

In an exciting turn of events, volunteers from the Looe RNLI were thrust into the spotlight as they took part in a gripping episode of the popular TV show, “Beyond Paradise”.

Airing on Friday, 5 April 2024, on BBC1, the episode marked the first emergency call (shout) for the fictional RNLI’s newest lifeboat station set in Shipton Abbott, a task involving a deepening mystery around a missing person.

An Unusual Shout for Help

The episode begins with a distress call from a local trawler, Tom Crocker, reporting a missing person at sea. The Looe RNLI volunteers, portraying the Shipton Abbott lifeboat station crew, were dispatched on the charity’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat to investigate. Despite their efforts, the missing individual was nowhere to be found in the waters of Shipton Abbott bay, leading to more questions than answers.

Upon returning to the harbour, the plot thickens as the volunteer crew and the trawler are met by DI Goodman and Sgt Williams from the Shipton Abbott Police Station, hinting at a deeper mystery to be unraveled by the authorities.

Behind the Scenes

The filming, which took place last autumn, saw the picturesque Looe transformed into the fictional setting of Shipton Abbott for the duration of the episode. The Looe RNLI volunteers, including David, Jack, Aaron, and Goron, alongside their shore crew, Eric, two Daves, Richard, Ian, and another Dave, played pivotal roles both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, ensuring the smooth operation of the lifeboat for the shoot.

Clive Palfrey, a senior helm and fishing safety advisor, was instrumental in keeping the cast safe on water, demonstrating the use of RNLI kit. Dave Haines and former launch authority Nick Pope made cameo appearances, contributing to a funeral flotilla scene, further blurring the lines between the volunteers’ real-life heroism and their fictional counterparts.

A Testament to Volunteer Spirit

This collaboration between the RNLI volunteers and the “Beyond Paradise” production highlights the community spirit and dedication of the RNLI volunteers. Not only do they commit their time to saving lives at sea, but they also embrace opportunities to raise awareness and support for their lifesaving work through popular culture.

The episode offers viewers a unique glimpse into the operations of an RNLI lifeboat station, albeit through the lens of a television drama. It serves as a reminder of the courage and selflessness of the RNLI volunteers, who are always ready to answer the call, whether it’s a real-life emergency or a shout for help on the silver screen.

To uncover the mystery of the missing person and see the Looe RNLI volunteers in action, audiences are encouraged to catch up on the episode via BBC’s catch-up TV services.

Photo Credit: RNLI/Ian Foster – Looe RNLI volunteer crew Aaron Rix, David Jackman, Goron Jones and Jack Spree taking a break from filming