Return to Paradise, the Death in Paradise spin-off, has released a first-look trailer for its upcoming third season. The series, starring Anna Samson as DI Mackenzie Clarke, is set to return, with ABC unveiling the new footage.
Trailer released for third season
The Death in Paradise spin-off initially launched in 2024, following Kris Marshall's comeback as Humphrey Goodman in Beyond Paradise. The BBC previously teased the premise: "Return to Paradise follows DI Mackenzie Clarke, an Australian ex-pat who's made a name for herself in the London Metropolitan Police Service, working under former Detective Inspector Jack Mooney, for cracking uncrackable murder cases. When she is framed for staging evidence, Mackenzie returns to Australia, back to the last place she ever wanted to be – her hometown of Dolphin Cove."
The synopsis continued: "Having fled the town six years ago, infamously leaving her ex-fiancée Glenn at the altar, Mackenzie is not welcome here. But with no other job options, and a compulsion for solving the mystery no matter how challenging, a reluctant Mack joins the team at Dolphin Cove Police Station. Once a case lands on her desk, she can't rest until she's figured it out, and the killer is in handcuffs. It's that tenacity and work ethic that might just, over time, help Mackenzie win over her new colleagues, and the people of Dolphin Cove."
Fans react to the news
Anna Samson, known for her role in Home and Away, became the franchise's first female lead as DI Mackenzie Clarke. She is now returning for a third series, with the trailer prompting an enthusiastic response from fans. One fan proclaimed: "I LOVE this show... I LOVE IT WHY AM I YELLING." Another said: "Can't wait, so excited." A third remarked: "Omg yesssss! ! ! So excited for the new season Looks so amazing, I just know I'm going to absolutely love it!"
Other reactions included: "Omg yesss we are so bacckkkk," "Omg omg omg! ! ! Woohoo!" and "Yay finally I've been hoping for another series."
Anna Samson on making history
The actress previously opened up about accepting the role and making history as Death in Paradise's first female lead. Speaking to Metro ahead of the debut series, she said: "[I feel] different now to when it first started, I can't lie. When I first heard about my casting, it was nerve wracking and surreal taking the mantle from these wonderful, characterful detectives, but also these beloved, charismatic, male British actors. That's enough to make you a little crazy if you're not careful."
She continued: "I think back to when I got the phone call from my agent, there's this blissful, wonderful 24 hours where you're walking on sunshine a little bit, and then you go, 'Oh, s**t, I actually have to do it,' but I can't replicate anything to what those previous actors did. I bring me to the show, and that's not something I can help. And when you're shooting it, when you're on set, when you're working, you can't think about the franchise, or being the first female detective, or how people might perceive that. You just have to play the scenes and the truth of the scenes and along with the fear and the responsibility, there was, and there is, a huge amount of pride, and I was, and am, pleased as punch."
International adaptation announced
This follows news that Death in Paradise is set to receive its first international adaptation, combining crime-solving with an idyllic setting, as the format relocates to the Croatian island of Brac, depicting a fictional island community. The Croatian version, entitled Ubojstvo u raju, will be produced by a separate production company from the BBC programme. The series will centre on 'out of place' detective Petar and a local police unit featuring Marina, whose knowledge of the island will test his established methods, Variety reported.
Producers Bruno Mustic and Ivan Lovrecek informed Variety that they were "very excited" to bring the programme to Croatia. They said in a statement: "The series is one of the BBC's most successful programs, and with Ubojstvo u raju we will bring that same blend of murder mystery, humor, warmth and strong sense of place to Croatia. We want to adapt the series to Croatian culture, creating an authentically Croatian world with characters and cases rooted in Adriatic Island life."
Return to Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
