Return to Paradise star explains how Death in Paradise favourite factors into season 2: “There’s something almost a bit magic”

When the spin-off series, Return to Paradise, was first revealed, it wasn’t immediately obvious how it would connect to the original Death in Paradise. This was different from another spin-off, Beyond Paradise, which clearly featured established character Humphrey Goodman as a central figure.

Everything shifted after the show’s first episode, which revealed a surprising connection: the lead detective, Mackenzie Clarke (played by Anna Samson), previously worked with Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon) when he was stationed in Saint Marie and has since returned to London.

We’ve only ever seen O’Hanlon in London, talking on the phone with Mackenzie. However, he’ll be appearing in more scenes in season 2, continuing to connect the current series to the original show.

She added that his appearances are short, just quick scenes of him returning to London. However, she observed that even in those brief moments, his character is growing and changing, particularly in how he feels about Mackenzie.

Samson described the character as having a subtly magical quality, almost like a distant guardian angel. He’s secretly helping her find her own happiness, gently guiding her without her realizing it.

He doesn’t explicitly say it in the script, but there’s a subtle, almost magical quality to him, and it’s very obvious how much he cares for Mackenzie. You can see it even in the briefest moments they share.

Tai Hara, Lloyd Griffith, Catherine McClements, Celia Ireland, Aaron L McGrath, and Andrea Demetriades will be joining the cast of the Australia-based series alongside Samson and O’Hanlon for the new season.

In Season 2, the team will face even more challenging cases, such as a mysterious chemical poisoning at sea. They’ll also investigate the death of a musician from a popular, but problematic, rock band, and the band itself will become a focus of the investigation.

Season 2 of Return to Paradise begins Friday, October 31st at 8pm on BBC One and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

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2025-10-31 10:42