Return to Paradise filming in Illawarra

Filming has commenced on upcoming ABC mystery series Return to Paradise starring Anna Samson (Dead Lucky, Wake in Fright, Jack Irish) as Mackenzie Clarke.

The 6 part spin-off series of the global smash-hit Death in Paradise is filming in across Sydney and the Illawarra coastal region, offering a distinctively Australian flare, while playing homage to the ‘Paraverse’.

The ensemble cast includes Lloyd Griffith (Ted Lasso, Nolly), Tai Hara (Home & Away, Colin From Accounts), Catherine McClements (Total Control, Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries), Celia Ireland (Wentworth, Total Control), Andrea Demetriades (Mother and Son, The Artful Dodger) and Aaron McGrath (Gold Diggers, Preppers).

The series is produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia with Red Planet Pictures for the ABC in association with the BBC.

Co-Creator and Executive Producer Peter Mattessi says: “I’m beyond excited to welcome Producer Di Haddon and our two fabulous directors Mat King and Tenika Smith who are coming together with our amazing cast to bring the world of Return to Paradise to life. We are having so much fun creating this brand-new mystery series that brings an Australian twist to one of the globe’s most successful television franchises. We think audiences in Australia, UK and around the world are going to fall in love with our wonderful characters, our delicious whodunits, and our gorgeous coastal Australian locations.”

The series will air on ABC and ABC iview later this year and will be shown on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. It will be distributed globally by BBC Studios.

Return to Paradise follows DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson), an Australian ex-pat who’s made a name for herself in London’s Metropolitan Police for cracking uncrackable murder cases. When she is accused of tampering with evidence, Mackenzie returns to Australia, back to the last place she ever wanted to be – her hometown of Dolphin Cove. Having fled the town six years ago, infamously leaving her ex- fiancée Glenn (Tai Hara) at the altar, Mackenzie is not welcome here.

But with no other job options, and a unique talent for solving a 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.

Production Credits: Produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia, Red Planet Pictures. Created and Executive Produced by Peter Mattessi, James Hall and Robert Thorogood. Producer: Di Haddon. Executive Producers for BBC Studios Productions Australia are Kylie Washington and Warren Clarke, for Red Planet Pictures are Belinda Campbell and Tim Key and for ABC are Rachel Okine and Brett Sleigh.