Death in Paradise spin-off return date officially confirmed by BBC with an extra treat for fans

Mackenzie is set to deal with the arrival of her "force-of-nature" mother in the new season.

Anna Samson, holding a folder in Return to Paradise.

John Platt

Published: Wednesday, 21 October 2026 at 5:36 pm

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As we head towards the end of the year, there are plenty of treats in store for fans of the Paraverse.

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Death in Paradise is of course getting its annual Christmas special, and while it hasn't yet been confirmed, one could also be in the offing for Beyond Paradise. Meanwhile, there's also a third season of Australia-set spin-off, Return to Paradise, on the way – and now we know exactly when that latter offering will arrive.

Return to Paradise season 3 will officially start airing in the UK on Friday 6 November, with the first episode airing on BBC One at 7:30pm. In a treat for fans, it will be part of a double bill, with episode 2 airing straight after at 8:30pm.

Season 3 will once again star Anna Samson, Lloyd Griffith, Tai Hara, Catherine McClements, Celia Ireland and Aaron McGrath, while Kerry Armstrong and Jacob Collins-Levy are joining in new key roles.

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The synopsis for season 3 says: "DS Mackenzie Clarke (Samson) is back, fresh from having wrecked another of Glenn’s (Hara) weddings and determined never to follow her heart again.

"But ignoring her heart won’t be easy. The arrival of her force-of-nature mother Jillian (Armstrong) puts Mack's mettle to the ultimate test and there's something undeniable about the raffish charm of the new pathologist Leo (Collins-Levy). And as for Glenn, who has gone away to ‘find himself’, well that's a whole other puzzle for Mack to try and solve...

"And, while Dolphin Cove may still look like paradise, it continues to serve up a steady stream of baffling murder mysteries – from the artist stabbed in full view of the public, to the wildlife worker dead in a locked cassowary cage. Mack will solve it all with her usual brilliance, and the off-beat help of her loyal team."

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So far, the show's main connection to the other Paraverse shows has been the inclusion of Ardal O'Hanlon as his Death in Paradise character Jack Mooney.

However, the most recent season of Beyond Paradise saw Melina Sinadinou's Zoe heading off travelling, having explored Return to Paradise's Dolphin Cove as a possible destination. Whether she does pop up in the new season remains to be seen, but it does suggest that more crossovers could be in the offing.

Return to Paradise season 3 will air on Friday 6 November at 7:30pm on BBC One. seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of James Hibbs, smiling against a lime green background.

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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