Return to Paradise season 3: Release date and latest news

We're heading back to Dolphin Cove for season 3 of Return to Paradise – and lead Anna Samson has teased a "hellish" start for Mackenzie.

"I think she's in a kind of purgatory, waiting for Glenn to make some kind of contact or come back," she told Radio Times. "For the first time we meet her not trying to escape Dolphin Cove. That doesn't mean she's happy at all.

"I think there's a sense of guilt that they left on such bad terms. Really, they left on terrible terms, and she's waiting for some kind of fix to it, but has no power over it – no power over when he comes back or how to fix it. So she's out of control of that, which she doesn't like at all."

"She's also been popped into uniform," Samson continues. "It's kind of a symbolic demotion, and with someone who's so ambitious and so proud, that does not feel good at all. And then her mum, who she's kind of estranged from, shows up and starts pushing all of her buttons.

"Her mum keeps referring to Colin as her boss, which again she hates because she quite likes the status that she has, so nothing is going right at all, and instead of running away, she's sitting in it, and it is so uncomfortable for her.

"So the first episode of season 3 is maybe the most uncomfortable we've ever seen her, and we've seen her uncomfortable quite a lot. The first episode is very funny, but for Mackenzie, it's hellish. It's hellish."

But what else is in store? And who else will be back for more?

Read on for everything you need to know about Return to Paradise season 3.

Return to Paradise season 3 release date: When will it air?

Return to Paradise season 3 will air in the UK from Friday 6 November at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Return to Paradise season 3 cast: Who's returning?

It wouldn't be RTP without Anna Samson as Mackenzie Clarke at the helm.

She will also be joined by:

• Tai Hara as Glenn Strong
• Lloyd Griffith as Colin Cartwright
• Catherine McClements as Philomena Strong
• Celia Ireland as Reggie Rocco
• Aaron McGrath as Felix Wilkinson

Kerry Armstrong (SeaChange) has also joined the cast as Mack's mother Jillian, while Jacob Collins-Levy (The White Princess) plays new pathologist and Mack's new love interest Leo.

A raft of new guest stars have also joined the cast:

• Mark Lee (A Place to Call Home, La Brea)
• Ngali Shaw (Ladies in Black, The Twelve)
• Anthony Hayes (The Slap, Total Control)
• Zöe Ventoura (Packed to the Rafters, Time Bandits)
• Matt Day (Rake, The Unusual Suspects)
• Robert Mammone (The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions)
• Bruce Spence (Mad Max 2, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)

Return to Paradise season 3 plot: What will happen?

DS Mackenzie Clarke is "fresh from having wrecked another of Glenn's weddings and determined never to follow her heart again".

Glenn (Tai Hara) left to "find himself", but he does return – and looks set to battle for Mack, quite literally, when he ends up in a fight with the new pathologist.

"There's something undeniable about the raffish charm of Leo," who takes a shine to Mack.

But who will she choose?

As if that isn't quite enough to contend with, Mack's "force-of-nature mother" Jillian (pictured above) arrives on the scene and "puts Mack's mettle to the ultimate test".

"Oh, golly," says Senior Sergeant Philomena Strong (Catherine McClements) as Mack and Jillian clap eyes on one another for the first time in a very long time.

"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."

Return to Paradise season 3 trailer: Can I watch it?

Yes – you can enjoy the trailer below.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow YouTube and its required purposes.

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.

Add Return to Paradise to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.