Return to Paradise cast talk wedding cliffhangers, long-awaited truths and getting the giggles in series 3

Coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One Friday 6 November, it’s the return of Dolphin Cove’s favourite outcast and wedding wrecker, Detective Sergeant Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson). 

Return to Paradise is produced by BBC Studios Australia Productions in close partnership with Red Planet Pictures, a Fremantle company, for the ABC, and in association with the BBC. BBC Studios, who handle global sales, has now licensed Return to Paradise to over 93 territories across the globe.

The series is co-created and executive-produced by Peter Mattessi, James Hall and Robert Thorogood. The series is written by Peter Mattessi, Alexandra Cullen, Alexandra Collier, Marisa Nathar and Sam Meikle, and is directed by Tenika Smith and Helena Brooks. Diane Haddon is producer. Executive producers for BBC Studios Productions Australia are Sophia Zachariou and Kylie Washington, for Red Planet Pictures are Belinda Campbell, Tim Key and Alexandra Carruthers and for ABC are Brett Sleigh and Rachel Okine.

Following the shocking departure of pathologist Glenn Strong (Tai Hara), Mack throws herself into her workload alongside the ever-faithful detective Senior Constable, Colin Cartwright (Lloyd Griffith). Mack and Colin find themselves untangling some of Dolphin Cove’s most impossible murders: an artist stabbed in full view of an audience; a wildlife worker killed in a locked cage and a famous film director shot at her own screening. But the biggest and most perplexing mystery of all will be Mack’s own heart.

returntoparadise@premiercomms.com

Interviews

Anna Samson (DS Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Clarke)

Where do we find Mack emotionally at the beginning of this series and what is she trying to convince herself she wants from life?

The big pain for her is that Glenn has left Dolphin Cove and she feels hugely responsible. For the first time, she's not trying to run away from Dolphin Cove, she's sitting in a kind of self-inflicted punishment as a form of penance. She's back in uniform; she's sitting it out hoping that Glenn will come back because she doesn’t feel she can move forward without him. She’s in a state of limbo.

This series introduces an important new relationship for Mack when her mother unexpectedly arrives. How does that change Mack’s perspective and the choices she makes? Do her and her mother get on well?

Any parent-child relationship is really fertile ground for drama and comedy. No matter how good or bad your relationship is with your parents, it’s potent. I wouldn't say they get along; Mack feels quite abandoned by her mum. All throughout her life, there's been a sense of abandonment, whether it be lack of rules or lack of structure. Her mum would go missing when she was a kid and she hasn't seen Jillian for a very long time. She doesn’t entirely trust the emotional relationship that she has with her mum, but she does love her. There’s no drama or comedy without that love as the basis for it.

There are parts of ourselves that only our parents can bring out, and we return to being a child no matter what age we're at in front of our parents. There was great fun to be had in reverting to a bratty teenager that her mum elicits in her, which comes from deeper pain and deeper resentment. 

Do you think that Jillian’s return offers any long-awaited answers that audiences have been hoping for about Mack's past, her history with Dolphin Cove, why she left in the first place?

It offers a lot of insight into who Mack is, why she is the way she is, why she doesn't like Dolphin Cove, and particularly about the failed wedding to Glenn. Anymore would spoil the surprises!

How does the arrival of Dolphin Cove's charming new pathologist, Leo Drake, shake things up, not just for the team, but also Mackenzie? Do we get to see a different side to Mackenzie because of Leo?

It shakes so much up and so quickly. Jacob and I charted an entire journey with Mack and Leo across a short span of episodes. She dislikes him at first because he represents the fact that Glenn isn't there. He works in an incredibly different way to Mack. He's the pathologist, but with a laid-back quality that she certainly does not have. She butts heads with him, even though he may not be buying into the conflict at all. Then, things begin to change.

We start to see an ease to Mack, and we get to see her laugh in ways we've never seen before. Unlike Glenn, there isn't a history of pain and hurt and longing. For a show that’s anchored in history – it’s RETURN to Paradise, after all - to have someone completely new creates a fresh slate, and that in turn brings out a new side of her that we haven’t seen to date in the show.

Now that you've played Mack across three series, what feels instinctive about her and what still takes you by surprise when you're playing her?

She takes me by surprise all the time. I know her so well and yet it is rare that I've predetermined her response to something. Something will annoy her that I didn't expect or something will make her laugh that I didn't expect. That’s a beautiful experience for an actor that the homework's done, but you're going with instinct on camera rather than predetermined choices. She’s always been kind, but she has a second thought before she says and does things that she wouldn’t have in the first or second series. That shows Colin’s influence on her. When Mack does something unexpectedly considered or kind, whether it be in dialogue or in action, that surprises me, and I think it probably surprises her as well.

The cases take the team into some great locations this series. You've got beautiful beaches, art fairs, building sites, wildlife parks, outdoor cinemas. Which setting was your favourite to film in?

Easily the wildlife park! I loved the koalas.

I was meant to hold a koala, but unfortunately, you need a license to hold a koala in Australia. But they are such phenomenal animals. We take them for granted in Australia because we have such amazing wildlife. But when you're that close to a koala, you cannot believe it's real. It looks like a teddy bear that's come alive; they’re incredible. The wildlife park keeper was very protective of the koala as well, we all felt like the koala and her keeper were number one on the call-sheet that day and we were the guest actors in their show!

Do you think Mack finds it easier to connect with animals rather than people? If so, why? And were there any particularly memorable encounters with filming with the animals?

One of the things that surprised me in series 2 is that Mack is really good with babies. You wouldn't expect that of her, and it’s the same with animals too. I think it’s because they don't have strong opinions, so they can't argue with her! She finds them much easier to navigate because their emotions are clear. Interpreting emotion, certainly her own, she finds very difficult. There’s a line in the show where she says, “it's not humans, it's animals, but they're categorised and you can follow it on a map.” You know what you're doing at the wildlife park. There's a map and everything's got a little sign and there's categories to guide you. 

What was the funniest or most memorable moment from filming this series that you could share?

I got the real giggles about seeing Tai in an apron. There’s something that feels a bit like your grandmother baking when you put him in an apron. I found that very hard to take seriously, and so did Mack. My smirk about it ended up in the show. It’s just a very fun, silly show to shoot. 

What can audiences expect from series three?

The two new characters and the impact they make on the story and have on Mackenzie. The charm of Dr Leo Drake! Show creator Peter Mattessi has such a brilliant talent at character names – Dr. Glenn Strong, Dr. Leo Drake – they often feel like they’ve walked straight out of the pages of a romance novel!

I think fans will love seeing Mackenzie trying to cope with her large personality mother, Jillian; she couldn’t be more different to Mack, and what Kerry Armstrong brings to the show is a delight. But above all else, the shocks and surprises. There are elements of story unlike anything we’ve done in the previous two series and I can’t wait to see how people react to them.

Tai Hara (Glenn Strong)

At the end of the second series, Glenn made a shocking decision to leave, which makes his return even more surprising. What do you think led him back home and how is he feeling?

At the end of the second series, we see the heartache and anguish he's experienced through two failed weddings, and he's concluded he's probably the root cause of it all. Series three, Glenn's been off finding himself, reflecting and taking some time away where no one's been able to contact him. He thinks he's quite certain of what he wants in his life – that’s Mack.

This series, we're seeing a newly single Glenn for the first time. Is that the opportunity for unexpected romance or do you think he's still got his eye on one particular person?

When Glenn first returns, it's clear that he's not in a space for new romantic adventures. But yeah, He’s reflected and asked deeper questions of where his relationship lies with Mackenzie. At his core, the main thing that he really wants to resolve and unpack is where they both stand now.

There's a rivalry between Glenn and new pathologist, Leo Drake. What was it like playing those scenes with Jacob Collins?

It was brilliant – such a new dynamic. Having this complete fresh take, it really just energised and gave a whole new feeling to the series. Jacob's a brilliant actor and he fit into our dynamic so well. For me, it was a great experience to be able to delve into a completely different side of Glenn that no one's really seen before. More hardened, a little bit jealous, but very conflicted. That really grows and bubbles over throughout the rest of the series.

Glenn is often seen as relaxed and easy-going, but there is more happening underneath. What did you enjoy uncovering about him in this series?

He has always been known as that happy-go-lucky guy and very much the poster boy for Dolphin Cove. But at the end of series two, it's quite clear that maybe he's not what everyone perceives as this perfect community man. It was a fun thing to explore that relationship, not only with Mackenzie and Leo, but also with Philomena and the other cast. You even see a whole different dynamic between him and Colin. 

When we first met Glenn in the series, there's so much history between him and Mackenzie; she left him at the altar six years earlier. He has a new relationship and he's all of a sudden thrust into these feelings of having to deal with past and present relationships. Cut to series three, everything has changed. However, the undercurrent of his unfinished business with Mackenzie is well and truly still present. My favourite thing with this series was exploring that relationship in a completely new way. The shoe is definitely on the other foot in this series.

The friendship between Glenn and Colin is a key source of warmth and comedy. How much of that chemistry comes naturally from working with Lloyd?

I love Lloyd - a lot of it comes from our personal friendship too. When Lloyd first moved to Sydney, I took him under my wing and made sure he saw all the sights and embraced being a person on the other side of the world. This series you really see Colin step up not just as a friend and a confidant, but just as someone who really understands both of these people and how complex this relationship is. He is a shoulder for Glenn to lean on. At the same time, he's trying to look out for his best mate and steer Glenn in the right direction. Glenn didn't contact anyone, including Colin, while he was away. That's a real reflection of the place that he was mentally when he left. So, it’s no surprise that Colin's the first person that he connects with when he gets back to Dolphin Cove.

Glenn takes a bartender job in the series. What would you say Glenn and Colin's signature drinks are?

Glenn's just pretty easy. It's just a beer. It's a nice cold beer, and I think Colin's probably the same as well. He loves the lager, that man! They’re pretty simple creatures.

Who would most likely make you laugh during a take this series? And are there any behind the scenes moments that still make you smile?

In between takes, there's a lot of banter. I do love to give Lloyd a hard time; Anna and I, when one of us goes, we'll see it in the other person's face. It can be mid-take! Her and I have a very good knack for making each other laugh. When the six of us are together, when Catherine, Celia and Aaron are there as well, you're pretty rowdy.

What can audiences expect from series three?

It’s the perfect escape to paradise. What they can expect is a whole fresh take on the series. Everyone knows their characters in such depth now, and the story only continues to develop. It really goes to a place that we've never seen before. The second half of series three really takes us into a territory that will surprise people.

Lloyd Griffith (DSC Colin Cartwright)

Colin has made Dolphin Cove his home. What is it about the place and its community that suits him so perfectly?

It’s the community more than anything. I think some people move to Australia because they feel lost in their home country without a sense of purpose and identity. When you move to Australia in a place that is so welcoming as Dolphin Cove, you end up feeling more at home there than you've ever felt anywhere else. For Colin, it’s the various clubs and communities he’s dove into. Everyone makes him feel so welcome that he just thinks “well, this is home.” He’s been made to feel so welcome not just by his colleagues but also the people that he goes swimming with every morning, the people that he goes surfing with, Glenn, Daisy, Mack too.

Colin remains one of the show’s great optimists. Is that quality ever tested in Series three?

The warmth and open arms that he’s been greeted with in Dolphin Cove, he mirrors with how he polices and how he looks after everyone else. It’s been nothing but positivity since he's got here. There’s a speech someone gives in the final episode about how everyone's welcome in Dolphin Cove, and I find that is so true. It felt the same for me as a British person heading to Australia; I was made to feel so welcome by so many people. I'm not sure if it's the sun that does that, that just makes people happier and nicer and more welcoming! 

In this series, Colin’s eyes are finally open to the romantic connection that binds Mack and Glenn. He’s only beginning to piece it together in series one, then by the end of series two with the wedding cliffhanger, he fully understands the depth of their connection. There’s a slight naivete to Colin which is reflected in his policing – he sees in black and white quite often. Mackenzie coming into the frame has given Colin a frame of reference for what a real detective looks like. Through his time with Mackenzie, he’s evolved as a detective, I would say. 

We see Colin step up and lead one of his own cases in this series. What was that like and how does his policing style differ from that?

It reminds me of the first-ever episode where Philomena calls for a detective from the city, despite Colin’s protests that he could take lead on the case. We have a full circle moment toward the end of series three where we see Colin finally take control when he’s needed. It’s nice to see Colin take the reins and feel a bit Mackenzie.

Colin is becoming a better cop just through osmosis of working with Mackenzie the whole entire time and being like, “all right, what's she doing there?” We all see the anticipation of the Eureka moment as the series goes on. Things are still more black and white in Colin’s world, but I think he's able to see a little colour now.

He’s quite a loyal friend to both Mac and Glenn. Does that put him in any awkward or entertaining situations this series?

He’s always trying to get Mackenzie to be a bit more human throughout the previous two series, to become a little more emotional and friendly. With series three, he's in the middle of this ‘will they, won’t they’ situation with Mackenzie and Glenn, and then that’s complicated even further. His interactions with Glenn and Mack hinge on his realization of just how deep a connection Mack and Glenn shared, all that shared history before Colin’s arrival to Dolphin Cove. So this series, he's having to step up a gear a little bit with both Glenn and Mack.

This series sees an unexpected character take quite the interest in Colin in the form of Mack's mother, Jillian. What was it like working with Kerry Armstrong and developing that relationship?

Fantastic casting, because Jillian is Kerry and Kerry is Jillian. I love the fact that she was trying to match Mack up with Colin, telling her comments like “he's very commanding, isn't he, darling? Look at his shoulders, look at his calves.” Colin's not really had that attention before, so he was a little bit intimidated. But as time passed, it seems to create a confidence boost for Colin. He starts thinking “maybe I DO have fantastic shoulders. And actually, do you know what? Maybe I DO have a commanding voice. And my calves ARE fantastic.”

Colin brings a distinctly British perspective to the Australian sort of coastal world. Is that contrast still a useful source of comedy?

It’s double layered – I have British friends that live in Australia that still can't get their head around certain things. They ingratiated themselves into Australian culture quickly but there are certain things where they're like, “nah, this is still weird.” Colin has to maintain those different layers. Would he have got up and surfed at 6:30 in the morning living in Lincolnshire? Absolutely not. Is it part of his lifestyle now in Dolphin Cove? Of course! He thinks nothing of it, but to call a sausage a snag, and to order a schooner rather than a pint? That’s unusual to him.

We haven’t seen Christmas yet, but the idea that Colin has to have shrimps on barbecues on Christmas Day… Christmas is turkey, it's brussels sprouts, it's eggnog, it's arguing with your family! If we were to have a Christmas special, we’d see a more melancholic side to Colin in that very specific British way. I feel there’s a responsibility for Colin to translate to the British viewer some things that might go over their head. 

We had a debate with show creator Peter Mattessi over whether or not British people knew a ‘snag’ was a sausage. He and Anna were sure they’d know; we ended up surveying it and the resounding result was British people had no idea what a ‘snag’ was! Colin’s great for translating those Australianisms that we don't necessarily use over here for the British audience. They can just get on with watching the show and not think, “what is a snag?” for 30 minutes whilst trying to work out the murder.

After three series, how much freedom do you have to add your own touches or reactions to Colin?

An incredible amount. There’s a shared belief from Peter Mattessi to our handling of our characters, but equally our belief in him to write a script that’s inherently malleable to fit these expanded characters. Even when I first joined the show, Peter and the team asked me, “how do you see Colin developing?” They were very open from the off as to who Colin is, where he's come from, what's his backstory, where he fits in Dolphin Cove.

We often speak about how he serves as that touch point to the UK because people see themselves as Colin going out to Australia. We’ve got so many British friends that have gone out to Australia and made a life out there and they've watched the show and they're like, “I was Colin for the first four or five years.” You’re Colin for so long, and then one day you wake up and you’re Reggie. It’s great that Peter basically gives us license to develop our characters and allow us to say, “actually, I think Colin might say this here instead of that.”  That’s not always a given on shows. It’s a real privilege. 

What can audiences expect from series three?

The resolution of that series two cliffhanger! As the actors, as soon as we got that script, we're clambering to it as quick as possible to read what happens after those moments, where our characters go next, who might be killed off, what surprises might be in store. There’s an investment our audience has made into the ‘will they, won’t they’ of Mack and Glenn, and I think they’ll be surprised by the outcome and the new path that we take people down.

I was in Greece recently and this couple came up to me telling me how much they love the show, because they used to live in Australia, and they love the reminders of the culture and the little Aussie eccentricities. Return to Paradise a show that lovingly homages the best of Australian stereotypes. People just love that escapism, like “oh wow, this is actually what Australian life is like.” The audience will love seeing what the writers have created.

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