The BBC will air Return to Paradise, a new Australia-set spin-off from one of the UK’s most watched dramas Death in Paradise. Filming next year, the six-part series will be produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia with Red Planet Pictures for the ABC, in association with the BBC.
Set in the idyllic, beachside hamlet of Dolphin Cove, Return to Paradise is six gripping, twisting and fiendishly clever murder mysteries – all against the spectacular backdrop of the Australian coastal landscape.
Australian ex-pat Mackenzie Clarke is the seemingly golden girl of the London Metropolitan police force – with an intuitive approach to detective work, she has built a reputation for being able to crack the most impossible of cases. However, she’s suddenly forced to up sticks and move back to her childhood home of Dolphin Cove, a beautiful, coastal paradise… and Mackenzie’s worst nightmare.
Having escaped her hometown at the earliest opportunity six years ago, Mack vowed she’d never come back, leaving a lot of unfinished business and unanswered questions. On her return she’s still no fan of the town, and the people of Dolphin Cove are certainly no fans of hers. In fact everyone would prefer her not to be there, including Mackenzie herself.
But when a murder takes place in Dolphin Cove, Mack can’t help but put her inspired detective brilliance to good use and determines, despite her reservations, that she needs to make the best of it, including tying up the loose ends with the man she left at the altar six years ago.
Created and executive produced by Peter Mattessi, James Hall and Robert Thorogood, Return to Paradise will be written by Mattessi alongside Elizabeth Coleman, Alexandra Collier and Kodie Bedford.
Return to Paradise follows the success of Beyond Paradise, the UK-set spin-off from Death in Paradise which launched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in February 2023 and became the UK’s most watched new drama of the year so far.
Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “Everything we all love about Death in Paradise - the humour, the beautiful scenery, the likeable characters, the ingenious plots - now in a fabulous Australian setting. I cannot wait for BBC viewers to be introduced to Detective Mack and the good (and not so good!) folk of Dolphin Cove. What a treat we have in store!”
Alex Jones, Joint-MD of Red Planet Pictures says: “We are so proud of the global success of both Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise – each selling to hundreds of territories, watched by millions, and regularly claiming the position of top rated drama in most of them. Return to Paradise is a brilliantly exciting new addition to ‘The Paraverse’ which we are sure audiences will love just as much. It is a completely original drama but takes the essence of what viewers love about Death in Paradise – the fish out of water premise coupled with the most cleverly plotted murder mystery – and gives it a uniquely Aussie flavour. We are thrilled to already have the BBC on board as broadcast partners for the show in the UK, which means that us Brits will be sure to get to meet Mackenzie and the residents of Dolphin Cove!”
Return to Paradise will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The six-part series is executive produced by Kylie Washington and Warren Clarke for BBC Studios Productions Australia, with Belinda Campbell and Tim Key for Red Planet Pictures and Rachel Okine and Brett Sleigh for ABC. The six-part series is made by Studios Productions Australia and Red Planet Pictures for the ABC in association with the BBC. The series will be distributed globally by BBC Studios.
