Production is officially underway in the second installment of ABC’s return to Paradise, Death’s local spinoff in Paradise.
Produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia in collaboration with Red Planet Pictures, the six-part Whodunit follows the top debut season as ABC’s major local drama last year.
Anna Samson has returned to lead the cast as Detective Sergeant Mackenzie Mac Mac’ Clark, whom she admires and returns to the life she has always longed for.
For now, however, she is stuck in Dolphin Cove and avoids the upcoming wedding of her ex-fiance Glenn (Tae Chi Hara) after hearing his unexpected declaration of love in the series One Finale.
Luckily for Mac, her forcedness to resolve impossible cases serves as a great distraction, and there is no shortage of murders to investigate.
Rejoining Samson and Harrah are the deaths of Paradise star Aldal Ohanlon, who returns as Lloyd Griffiths, Katherine McClement, Celia Ireland, Andrea Demetried, Aaron McGrath and Jack Mooney.
Guests this season include lead singers Daniel Cormack, Mine Wyatt, Ros Hammond, Justin Clark, Michelle Lim Davidson, Greg Stone, Zoe Curried, Simon Lyndon, Mia Madden and Tim Rogers.
Returning to Paradise is commissioned by the ABC in connection with the BBC. The series is produced by Paradise creators Robert Thorogood’s Peter Mattessi, James Hall and Death, and produced by Diane Haddon, and has been created with executives.
Season 2 was written by Mattesi, Alexandra Cullen, Alexandra Collier, Chelsea Casio and Marisa Nassar.
Executive producers include Kylie Washington and Sophia Zachariou of BBC Studios Productions Australia, Belinda Campbell and Tim Key of Red Planet Pictures, and Rachel Okine and Brett Seligh of ABC.
The general manager of Washington, EVP and BBC Studios ANZ Global Entertainment said he was delighted that the audience enjoyed their return to paradise and was excited to start in their second season.
“Our beautiful beaches and bush provided the perfect backdrop for an interesting, entertaining mystery with a clear Australian twist that audiences enjoy in 99 countries around the world,” she said.
Returning to Paradise, ABC will air later this year and will be on display at BBC One and BBC Iplayer in the UK. BBC Studios handles global distribution.
