BBC Return to Paradise star admits she broke bosses’ key rule after landing first female detective role
Return to Paradise star Anna Samson has opened up about the one rule she broke when finding out she had landed the role as DI MacKenzie Clarke – the franchise’s first female lead detective.
The spin-off series from Death in Paradise sees Guadeloupe replaced by Australia on the mesmeric fictional coastal town of Dolphin Cove.
Samson’s character, DI Clarke, leaves London and returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove – but soon comes face to face with some dark aspects of her past.
The actress is making history for the show’s universe by becoming the first female lead as the flagship series has only seen several male actors take the reins.
After going through multiple rounds of callbacks, Samson opened up to RadioTimes about the audition process and the one rule she bent when learning she’d bagged the part.
“At the end of each episode, there is a denouement, where the detective gets all the suspects in one room and makes a bit of a theatre show, describing the plot and then, revealing the killer,” Samson said as she delved into the process.
“There were two in my audition process! It was a huge number of lines to learn, inhabit and perform. But, they were really keen on finding the right woman for the gig.
“So, it was a real joy and privilege when I got the call,” she continued before touching upon the rule break.
“You’re not supposed to tell anyone – but I called my mum straightaway! And then, the fear kicked in,” she confessed.
Alongside Samson, Lloyd Griffith will play Detective Colin Cartwright, while other cast members include Tai Hara as Glenn Strong, Celia Ireland, and Aaron McGrath as Police volunteer Reggie Rocco and PC Felix Wilkinson, respectively. Catherine McClements and Andrea Demetriades.
Ahead of the highly anticipated show launch, lead actress Samson shared her excitement and confirmed the return of Ardal O’Hanlon, who previously portrayed detective Jack Mooney in Death in Paradise.
In the new series, Jack serves as Mackenzie’s boss, leaving the actress to explain: “We can expect Ardal to make more than one appearance than just in the first episode.
“Because he plays my boss back at the Metropolitan Police. I am in constant contact with him, trying to figure out when I can get out of Dolphin Cove and come back to London.
“So he’s quite an important character to Mackenzie, he is her boss and someone she is friends with and respects,” Wales Online reported.
She further elaborated: “So the show, without being a carbon copy of the original, has lots of tips of the hat to the original, not just with the characters but even certain shots are paying homage to the original.
“Like on the beach with the suitcase and not [wearing] an appropriate outfit for the weather. That is certainly a wink and a nod to the original.
“I didn’t get to meet Ardal because he shot his stuff in London and my stuff in Australia. I want to meet all of [the Death in Paradise cast].”
When first being announced as the new lead detective, Samson penned on her Instagram account: “Paradise is coming soon!
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“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be following in the footsteps of the maverick detectives of Saint Marie @deathinparadiseofficial.
“We loved making this Aussie whodunnit, we hope you love mystery in the bloody sunshine as much as us.
“I think it is something about playing the lead detective in a Paradise show, so I want to talk to them; I would love to meet them all.” (sic)
Return to Paradise kicks off on the BBC later this month while the franchise has also confirmed the guest stars for Don Gilet’s first-ever Christmas special.
