Anna Samson, star of the Death in Paradise spin-off Return to Paradise, has paid an emotional tribute to her co-stars, calling them her "best friends". The actress is set to reprise her role as Detective Mackenzie Clark when the series returns this Friday.
Speaking about her on-screen chemistry with Tai and Lloyd, who play her ex Glenn and colleague Colin Cartwright, Samson said: "I get emotional talking about these boys every time - they're two of my best friends, they're family." She added: "When you book a show like this, you often hear people say it has changed their lives, and for me, it has by giving me Tai and Lloyd as friends."
In an exclusive interview, the actress, who plays the programme's first female lead, shared her hopes for the show's future. "It's a hard one to answer, because I don't know, basically, is the answer. I know what I would like, but I don't know the answer to that," she explained. "You also don't want to sound like an idiot if it never happens."
Samson continued: "I have more Detective Mackenzie Clark left in my heart and in the acting tank, but we have to see if the audiences want more. It's not up to me at all. It's actually up to how far this story resonates with an audience more than anything."
The second series, set to air on 31 October, sees Mackenzie trapped in her hometown of Dolphin Cove, solving more perplexing cases while grappling with the bombshell that her ex-fiancé Glenn still has feelings for her. The team will face cases including the chemical poisoning of a man alone at sea and a troublesome rock band under suspicion when one of their members turns up dead.
