Since its debut back in 2011, Death In Paradise has become one of the most successful shows on British TV – and far beyond, as it’s been shown in 236 territories around the world (which is pretty much all of them). And with such roaring popularity comes a demand for more. We’ve had 13 series of Death In Paradise with at least one more to come, plus the Devon-set spin-off Beyond Paradise that’s back next year. But we’re greedy. More death! More paradise!

The good news is that coming our way is Return To Paradise, another fiendishly clever yet light-hearted detective series that’s set in the same universe as Death In Paradise (known to fans as “the Paraverse”). It takes place in another location that’s beautiful and idyllic… except for, you know, all the murders.

In Return To Paradise, Australian detective Mackenzie Clarke (former Home And Away star Anna Samson) leaves the Met on the advice of her commanding officer, who is none other than previous Death In Paradise investigator Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon). Mackenzie reluctantly relocates to her former home town of Dolphin Cove, a picturesque beach community back in Australia, intending to fix up her mother’s house – but complications arise.

One, her ex-fiancé Glenn (Tai Hara) is still in town, and everyone’s a little too keen to remind Mackenzie of how she left him at the altar. Two, a body soon shows up on the beach, and Mackenzie just can’t help getting involved…

Return To Paradise doesn’t have quite the same fish-out-of-water element of its parent show, but like fellow spin-off Beyond Paradise, it shows that you can feel like a stranger even in a place that you consider home. And it’s certainly a show in the spirit of Death In Paradise, an endlessly winning combination of light comedy, gorgeous scenery and plenty of twisty puzzles for the lead detective to solve.

And just as DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) encountered complications thanks to his feelings about colleague Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert), Mackenzie’s off-and-on-and-off relationship with Glenn adds a little romantic frisson to the mix.

When is Return To Paradise on BBC One?

The Death In Paradise spin-off series Return To Paradise starts on Friday 22 November at 8pm on BBC One HD (CH 101). All six parts of the series will be available from 6am the same day in Apps > BBC iPlayer.

If you’re charmed by the Australian location, actors and accents in Return To Paradise, we’ve got more good news for you – there are lots of ace Aussie shows available for you to watch right now. Check out our picks from The Land Down Under.

High Country

Find season 1 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s about an Aussie female detective who moves to a small town and is faced with a puzzling series of mysteries. Leah Purcell (The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart) stars as Detective Sergeant Andie Whitford, newly arrived in the town of Brokenridge, who realises a string of disappearances could be linked. If you need another reason to watch this suspenseful, evocative drama on BBC iPlayer, it also stars Ian McElhinney, aka Granda Joe from Derry Girls.

My Life Is Murder

Find season 1 in On Demand > U&Alibi now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s a light-hearted crime drama about a female investigator, set in Australia. Actual Xena herself, Lucy Lawless, plays Alexa Crowe, a detective turned private eye who works as a consultant to the Victoria police service and gets tangled up in all sorts of surprising cases. Not quirky enough for you? Alexa has a side hustle as a baker.

Colin From Accounts

Find seasons 1-2 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s about a mismatched Australian couple whose relationship gets into difficulty at every turn. Mackenzie and Glenn spar with each other throughout Return To Paradise, as do Gordon (Patrick Brammall) and Ashley (Harriet Dyer) in this delightful modern romcom that starts with a dispute over a vet’s bill. And that’s not the only link: Ash’s slimy ex James is played by Tai Hara – the same actor who portrays Glenn.

The Twelve

Find seasons 1-2 in Apps > ITVX now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s about the people who bring Australian criminals to justice, while their private lives get mixed up with the legal proceedings. This drama moves the mystery-solving into the courtroom, with legendary Jurassic Park star Sam Neill as the leading barrister teasing out the facts of a murder case. Sound a bit heavy? Don’t worry – there are some reliably amusing and irreverent supporting characters.

Deadloch

Find season 1 in Apps > Prime Video now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s about female Aussie detectives investigating odd murders in a small coastal town. The premise may sound identical but Deadloch leans much more towards the darker side of murder-based comedy drama, with plenty of salacious small-town scandal and a lot of swearing. Its detectives – uptight Dulcie (Kate Box), loudmouthed Eddie (Madeleine Sami) and timid but smart Abby (Nina Oyama) – clash over their methods but ultimately find a successful way to work together.

Frayed

Find seasons 1-2 in On Demand > Sky Max now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s a comedy drama about a woman unwillingly transplanted from London back to her home in Australia. Comedian Sarah Kendall created, wrote and starred in Frayed, playing Sammy, an affluent London lady of leisure whose husband’s death leaves her with little choice but – like Mackenzie – to move back to her mum’s house Down Under and attempt to rebuild her life there.

Darby & Joan

Find season 1 in Apps > U or On Demand > U&Drama now

Return To Paradise fans will love it because… it’s a gently comic drama about a mismatched pair who end up investigating mysteries together, creating a mutual respect. Jack Darby (Bryan Brown) is laid-back, Joan Kirkhope (Greta Scacchi) is tightly wound, but they share a determination to find the truth and a knack for solving mysteries. Like Mackenzie and Dolphin Cove police officer Colin Cartwright (British comedian Lloyd Griffith), they rub each other the wrong way but soon realise that their differences make them a great team.