Anna Samson will lead the cast of 'Return to Paradise'.
Anna Samson in Return to Paradise
The former 'Home and Away' actress will play DI Mackenzie Clarke in the Australian spin-off series of hit murder mystery franchise 'Death in Paradise', with her co-stars including Lloyd Griffith, Tai Hara, Catherine McClements, Celia Ireland, Andrea Demetriades and Aaron McGrath.
Mackenzie has made a name for herself by cracking seemingly-unsolvable murder cases as a detective in London's Metropolitan Police, but she returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove in Australia after being accused of tampering with evidence.
Although she is unwelcome in the town, having fled six years ago when she left her fiance Glen (Hara) waiting at the altar, Mackenzie reluctantly joins the local police team, with no other options open to her, and is determined to figure out whatever cases land on her desk.
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 six-part series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and ABC and ABC iview later this year in Australia. It will be distributed globally by BBC Studios.
Filming for the new programme is already underway in Sydney and the Illawarra coastal region.