Return to Paradise Tonight: Double Episodes kick off brand new series

Fans of Return to Paradise have a double dose of crime-solving to look forward to tonight, with the hit Australian crime drama returning to BBC One with not one, but TWO brand-new episodes.

Detective Sergeant Mackenzie Clarke is back in Dolphin Cove, but life isn’t getting any easier for the town’s favourite outcast. With Glenn’s absence leaving a noticeable gap, tensions at work, an unwelcome house guest and two particularly baffling murder investigations, Mack has plenty on her plate.

Tonight’s double bill sees Mackenzie investigate the mysterious death of an artist during a live performance at an art fair, before turning her attention to the suspicious death of a builder at a construction site.

And, as ever, the murders aren’t the only mysteries waiting to be solved. There are also some personal secrets threatening to turn Mack’s world upside down.

Return to Paradise airs tonight from 8pm on BBC One, with both episodes available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

Return to Paradise Episode 1: Stilled Life – What happens?

The first episode, titled Stilled Life, finds resident wedding ruiner Mackenzie Clarke paying the price for Glenn’s absence.

With Phil already offside and a disastrous first impression made with new colleague Leo, Mack isn’t exactly winning any popularity contests around Dolphin Cove.

However, professional disagreements and awkward introductions must be put aside when a shocking death takes place during the town’s art fair.

An artist dies on stage in front of a horrified audience while performing an avant-garde piece, leaving Mackenzie with another seemingly impossible case to solve.

The investigation takes an unexpected turn when the main suspect, the victim’s muse, turns out to have a surprising and complicated connection to Mackenzie herself.

Even for someone as experienced in untangling mysteries as Mack, this is a particularly puzzling case.

But one strange detail proves especially difficult to explain: why was the victim clutching a red jelly baby?

As Mackenzie attempts to piece together what happened, could the answer lie in the complicated relationship between the artist and their muse?

Return to Paradise Episode 2: Built To Kill – What happens?

The second episode, Built To Kill, sees Mackenzie dealing with another unexpected development in her personal life: the arrival of an uninhibited house guest.

The solitary detective is forced to adjust to having someone else in her space, but there’s little time to dwell on domestic arrangements when another suspicious death demands her attention.

A happy-go-lucky builder dies after falling from the roof of a construction site, and Mackenzie is immediately convinced that something isn’t right.

Having an eye for a bodged-up job, Mack knows this is no ordinary workplace accident. As far as she’s concerned, the builder was murdered.

The deeper she digs into the victim’s life, the more complicated the investigation becomes.

A tangled history involving debt, blackmail, illicit relationships and buried secrets begins to emerge, giving Mack plenty of potential suspects.

But one question proves particularly difficult to answer: how could anyone have pushed the victim when he was supposedly alone on the roof?

And while Mack is busy trying to solve the construction site mystery, there’s another puzzle demanding her attention – what exactly is Colin keeping from her?

What to expect from the new series of Return to Paradise

The six-part series sees the return of Dolphin Cove’s favourite outcast and wedding wrecker, Detective Sergeant Mackenzie Clarke, played by Anna Samson.

Following the shocking departure of pathologist Glenn Strong (Tai Hara), Mack throws herself into her work alongside her ever-faithful colleague, Detective Senior Constable Colin Cartwright (Lloyd Griffith).

Together, Mack and Colin will be tackling some of Dolphin Cove’s most extraordinary murder cases.

Among the investigations this series are an artist stabbed in full view of an audience, a wildlife worker killed inside a locked cage and a famous film director shot dead at her own screening.

But while each case presents its own seemingly impossible questions, the biggest mystery of all could prove to be Mackenzie’s own heart.

With new faces arriving in town and familiar relationships being put to the test, there’s plenty of personal drama to accompany the weekly murder mysteries.

Who are the new characters in Return to Paradise?

There are some exciting additions to the Dolphin Cove community this series, including two arrivals who could have a particularly significant impact on Mackenzie.

Kerry Armstrong joins the cast as Jillian, Mackenzie’s force-of-nature mother.

Her arrival is hardly welcome news for the fiercely independent detective, who must now navigate the challenges of having her mother around while trying to keep her professional life on track.

Jacob Collins also joins as Leo Drake, a charismatic new pathologist whose raffish charm proves difficult for Mack to resist.

With Glenn no longer filling the role, Leo’s arrival brings a fresh dynamic to the team and potentially some romantic complications for Mackenzie.

Meanwhile, fans can look forward to seeing Catherine McClements return as Senior Sergeant Philomena Strong, Celia Ireland as Reggie Rocco and Aaron L. McGrath as Constable Felix Wilkinson.

The new series will also see Mack temporarily swap her familiar waistcoat for the Dolphin Cove uniform as she works alongside Philomena.

Colin and Mack will continue to investigate the latest crime scenes, while Reggie and Felix take to the streets in search of the vital clues needed to crack another fiendish case.

Glenn’s change in career direction will also land him in hot water, suggesting that his departure from the pathology team doesn’t mean his story is over.

Who are the guest stars in Return to Paradise?

As well as its returning cast and new regular characters, the latest series features an impressive selection of popular Australian screen stars.

Guest appearances include:

• Mark Lee, known for A Place to Call Home and La Brea.
• Ngali Shaw, whose credits include Ladies in Black and The Twelve.
• Anthony Hayes, known for The Slap and Total Control.
• Zöe Ventura, who has appeared in Packed to the Rafters and Time Bandits.
• Matt Day, whose television credits include Rake and The Unusual Suspects.
• Robert Mammone, known for The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
• Bruce Spence, recognised for roles in Mad Max 2 and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

With a different murder mystery at the heart of each instalment, viewers can expect plenty of familiar Australian television faces to pop up throughout the six episodes.

Return to Paradise Christmas special: What we know so far

There is even more good news for Return to Paradise fans.

This week, wheretowatch.tv revealed details of the upcoming Christmas special, meaning Mackenzie Clarke and the Dolphin Cove team have another festive mystery to look forward to beyond the current series.

The special is set to provide another opportunity to revisit the popular Australian crime drama and its colourful collection of characters.

What time is Return to Paradise on tonight?

Viewers can enjoy two brand-new episodes of Return to Paradise tonight on BBC One.

The double bill begins at 8pm, with Stilled Life followed by Built To Kill.

For those who don’t want to wait for the television broadcast, both episodes are already available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Return to Paradise airs tonight from 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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