Return to Paradise is the latest spin-off from Death in Paradise, starring former Home and Away actress Anna Samson as London Metropolitan police officer DI Mackenzie Clarke.
The show starts with Mackenzie returning to her hometown of Dolphin Cove, where she's highly unpopular with many of the locals after ditching poor Glenn (Tai Hara) at the altar.
Now, that the first series has aired thoughts are turning to a potential second season, here’s everything we know…
Return to Paradise season 2 status
Return to Paradise season 2 has finally been commissioned, and filming has started. It's no great surprise, as the first series got decent viewing figures. Return to Paradise opened with over four million viewers (7-day figures) and then retained an audience of over three million for the remaining episodes. While it's not in Ludwig territory, it's not bad. The BBC also made quite a big thing of calling Return to Paradise part of the Paraverse along with Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise. So it would have been odd if it had been axed, however, there was quite a long wait between the end of the series and the news that it would be coming back!
However, as of April 2025, the BBC has confirmed it's coming back. Tim Key, Executive Producer, Red Planet Pictures says: "We were delighted that the world took Mack and the rest of the Australian team to their hearts and it’s a pleasure to be back on the beat with the wonderful cast and crew Down Under. We can promise another series full of ingenious murders, romantic complications and glorious Australian locations, all infused with the unique warmth and humour of the Paradise shows."
Well will the plot go?
Spoilers ahead!! The makers clearly hoped there would be a second series as the first ended on a massive cliffhanger. Mackenzie was about to leave Dolphin Cove for London when she heard her ex Glenn, say to their pet dog that he still loved her. And we're pretty sure Mackenzie still loves Glenn. Thus, everything is perfectly set up for their romantic journey to continue in the second season. Also, the team now feels well established. Especially fun is the awkward relationship between Mackenzie and Detective S.C Colin Cartwright (Lloyd Griffith). We really loved the moment Colin buys Mackenzie a coffee only for her to throw it in the bin!
The BBC teases: "Series two will reunite us with Detective Sergeant Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Clarke (Anna Samson), who’s longing to get back to the UK and the life she’s always craved. But for now she’s stuck in Dolphin Cove, dodging her ex-fiancée Glenn’s (Tai Hara) upcoming wedding after overhearing his unexpected declaration of love in the series one finale - a confession that she can’t unhear.
"Luckily for Mack, her compulsion to solve impossible cases serves as a great distraction, and there’s no shortage of murders to investigate. From the literary world to state-of-the-art shark labs, dating apps and rock concerts, Mack and her team face challenging mysteries with their unique blend of humour and tenacity. But Mack’s biggest challenge of all? Finding a way to exist in Dolphin Cove as the ultimate outsider."
Return to Paradise season 1 is available on BBC iPlayer now.
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