We're heading back Down Under this November for the eagerly awaited third season of Return to Paradise – and the cast have teased what lies ahead for DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) and Glenn Strong (Tai Hara).
The six-part series picks up from season two's dramatic cliffhanger ending, which saw Glenn flee Dolphin Cove after his fiancée, Daisy, called off their wedding over his unresolved feelings for Mackenzie.
© Red Planet / BBC Studios / John Platt"I think she feels very guilty about what happened at the wedding," Anna tells HELLO!. "She's not good at admitting she's wrong. In episode one, it's kind of a purgatory," says the Australian actress. "She's very sad. I think she feels terrible about possibly ruining a happy life for him and Daisy."
Season three love triangle?
When Glenn eventually returns to Dolphin Cove, he's met with an unexpected complication: the arrival of charming new pathologist Leo (Jacob Collins-Levy).
© Red Planet / BBC Studios / John Platt"Glenn has gone and done some soul searching," says Tai. "Really, the big thing is that when he comes back to town, he's actually in a place where he thinks he's probably found what he needs to say to McKenzie, only to walk back into what he does, with a new pathologist there and a new person on the scene."
While Mackenzie and Leo initially clash, it doesn't take long for the newcomer to win her over. Can we expect a love triangle to emerge between the three?
© Red Planet / BBC Studios / John Platt"I've never thought of it as a love triangle. I guess technically it is," says Anna.
"Leo shows a side of himself that Mackenze likes and respects. So the first thing Glenn sees is her happy in the company of another man," she continues. "I think that sets up something that's a bit more than just jealousy, and I don't think her feelings for Glenn have gone anywhere."
Meanwhile, Tai says Leo's arrival adds "some new spice and flavour" to Mackenzie and Glenn's relationship.
© John Platt/ BBC"It's a really interesting flip of the script for the dynamic," he says. "I don't think it's as simple as Glenn comes back and is jealous straight away. There's a care and a love that they have for each other, and trying to figure out if him being back is actually a bigger problem as well."
Welcoming an acting icon
Alongside Jacob Collins-Levy as Leo, season three also welcomes Kerry Armstrong as Mackenzie's "force-of-nature mother" Jillian.
"I loved working with Kerry," Anna says of the veteran Australian actress, known for her roles in Dynasty, Neighbours and SeaChange.
© John Platt/BBC"She brought a new zest and a new life to the show and to the set. She's a remarkable woman. She's vivacious, fun, and cares a lot about acting."
However, Mackenzie is far less thrilled about Jillian's sudden appearance in town.
"She plays a role that's so vastly different to MacKenzie," says Anna. "She'd watched the show and knew who Mackenzie was and therefore what she needed to bring to contrast it, to provoke it."
Return to Paradise season three will air on Friday 6 November at 7:30pm on BBC One.
