TONIGHT’S episode of popular BBC One show Death in Paradise has been penned by a screenwriter from Heaton.

Alex Walker, who lives in Devonshire Road, will be eagerly watching the TV with his family this evening to see his work for the first time.

The 33-year-old wrote the script over four months in early 2016 and is hoping the episode, the third in the series, will be well received.

He said: “I haven’t actually seen the episode myself but I am really excited to see it. I will be watching with my family and hoping that everyone likes it.”

Formerly a pupil at Devonshire Road Primary School, Mr Walker has been a fan of films his whole life and named Hollywood mainstays the Coen Brothers, who wrote and directed No Country For Old Men and Fargo, among his main influences.

He studied screenwriting at UCLAN, graduating in 2007, and then began a 10-year search for work, during which he created the short film Supermarket Girl with BAFTA-winning writer Matt Greenhalgh, which they took to the Berlin Film Festival.

He first got in contact with his agent Hannah Boulton in 2015 and she took him under her wing, getting him the interview for Death In Paradise later that year.

Mr Walker said: “Before the interview I just binge-watched as many episodes as I could. It was the mysteries that stuck with me and it’s a very light-hearted show.

“I came up with a mystery in my head and I wrote a script for the interview. They really liked it and I got the job from that.

“I was so happy because I really, really wanted it. I thought they would only give me the mystery part to write but I ended up writing everything – the full script.

“It was a really challenging four months and I learned a lot from it. Mysteries have to be watertight so I had to make sure there are no loose ends.

“The most important thing I now know is that I have the confidence to move on to different shows to build on that experience.”

And he has already lined up another show, as he’s due to start work on an episode of Casualty later this year.

He said: “I think it’s going to be a great experience. It’s obviously going to be more drama-focused but I’m really ready for it. I’m really excited.

But Mr Walker knows there is a lot to do before he realises his main dream – to work in film

He said: “It feels great that I’ve come this far but I’m aware that there’s a lot of work to be done. I can’t just rest and think it’s done.

“One thing moves onto the next but as I get more credits, more doors will open.”

The third episode of Death In Paradise, starring Kris Marshall, airs at 9pm tonight on BBC One.