In this spin-off, Guadeloupe has been replaced by Australia and the island of St Marie for the quiet, mesmeric coastal town of Dolphin Cove. It’s predictably an armchair traveller’s delight – a patchwork quilt of shooting locations from northern Sydney’s beaches down to the enchanting landscapes of the Illawarra region.

And, adding to the canon of maverick detectives in the Paradise universe is the socially incompetent – but brilliantly minded – DI Mackenzie Clarke. After serving in the Metropolitan Police, DI Clarke leaves London and returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove – and comes face to face with some dark aspects of her past (an old flame, her old job, small-town gossip). For some, taking on the first female lead in a beloved franchise might have been an intimidating prospect, but if anyone is up for the job, it’s Anna Samson – who shines as brightly as the Aussie sun as Mackenzie. “Death in Paradise is one of the highest-grossing shows in Australia,” says the 34-year-old excitedly. “I was a fan of it because it harks back – without ever being fusty – to a more innocent time of television where there was the intention to entertain and give escape, rather than traumatise. I think the world can be quite heavy and dark and hard right now. Having a show that is softer, warmer, charming and kind in its bones was really appealing to me. Even though Mackenzie can be an acerbic, hard character, she lives within a soft television world.”

When I was three I saw Oliver! I haven’t been the same since

Landing the role of DI Clarke was no small feat. The audition process was long and extensive, with multiple rounds of callbacks. “At the end of each episode, there is a denouement, where the detective gets all the suspects in one room and makes a bit of a theatre show, describing the plot and then, revealing the killer,” she explains. “It’s a lot of dialogue – four, five, six pages of monologue. There were two in my audition process! It was a huge number of lines to learn, inhabit and perform. But, they were really keen on finding the right woman for the gig. So, it was a real joy and privilege when I got the call. You’re not supposed to tell anyone – but I called my mum straightaway! And then, the fear kicked in…”

Born in Britain, Samson initially lived in Haywards Heath in West Sussex but in her early childhood she and her mother, who was a nurse, relocated to Nigeria, where her father – a civil engineer, was building a dam. She spent her early years between Nigeria and London, where her grandparents lived.

“My nana and grandad used to take me to the West End. That’s where my love of performance started – at a very young age in England. I saw a production of Oliver! at the London Palladium with Ron Moody when I was three. I haven’t quite been the same since. It gave me a love of theatre. I wanted to be part of it. And that’s where my career started.”

Were her parents supportive of her career choice? “They’re both retired now. They live in the Blue Mountains in Australia. They’re still madly in love after 40-odd years. They still get excited when the other comes home. My parents are the kindest, most supportive, most adventurous, excellent human beings.”

Samson moved to Australia in her early teens when her dad set up a company there – and it was there that she began to pursue a career in acting, first enrolling at a performing arts high school and then going on to study at a prestigious drama school in Melbourne.

Mackenzie can be acerbic, but she lives in a soft TV world

“We travelled a lot when I was young. I still travel a lot – it’s a big part of my life. I love adventure. Seeing and living in different parts of the world has made me a better person. I have a lovely home in Sydney but London is my second home. I’m here usually twice a year. I don’t think I’ll ever put roots down somewhere and not leave. Being a theatre actor very much feels like you’ve run away with the circus.”

Samson has carved herself a successful on-stage career – and some viewers might also recognise her from her stint in Home and Away as Mia Anderson. “Being English – I’ve always harboured a little, secret desire to play a detective on the BBC. I love the genre – from literature like Agatha Christie to television police procedurals. I understand its appeal and how it works. When the audition for Return to Paradise came along, I definitely thought I had something to offer.”

Playing the first female detective in the “Paraverse” must have come with its own pressures though? “There’s a pressure and a joy. I’m taking up the mantle from very beloved male British actors. I’m different to that – I can’t emulate what they did, I can’t copy or mimic them. I bring me to the show. Thinking about being the first female detective and the size and success of the franchise between ‘action’ and ‘cut’ is not helpful. You have to put it to the side and play the scene.

“I actually think that being a female detective doesn’t change the DNA of the show. Not at all. It’s a significant cultural move; setting it in Australia changes it more than having a female lead. I have a great amount of pride – and I’m as pleased as punch to be playing Mackenzie.”

DI Clarke might solve puzzles well and excel as a mathematician – but that doesn’t quite equate to empathy and understanding human emotions. And often, her inability to read social cues means she can unintentionally offend. But, for all her flaws, she is a female character who has confidence in her abilities and in the world.

There’s pressure and joy taking over from male British actors

“She’s genuinely not concerned with people liking her,” says Samson. “She doesn’t think that she needs people or community – but we all do. However, we don’t all need to be liked and loved by everyone. I’ve learned that through playing her. Because, unlike me, Mackenzie is not a people pleaser. She’s the complete opposite. I think a lot of us, especially women, struggle with trying to be palatable. To put that side of myself down, for the time I got to play her, was like a weight off my shoulders.”

DI Clarke’s brain is always whirring – she’s constantly trying to solve crimes and work out which are the missing pieces of the puzzle. In some ways, perhaps a detective’s life isn’t dissimilar to that of an actor’s and I wonder whether either ever have a work-life balance?

“Life is bigger than just your career. Having things that ground you, things that give you joy – they end up making your work better. I’m certainly not playing a character that has any work-life balance. But, I love my life outside of acting – my family, my friends, travel, writing. I’m currently doing a master’s in literature at Sydney University. I’m curious and I love learning. When I was shooting this show, I had zero work-life balance – but it’s only for three months and I wanted to dedicate myself to it. And then, I get the time to do something else.”