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You play Dr Glenn Strong, resident forensic pathologist and former love interest of DI Mackenzie Clarke. How familiar were you with the Death in Paradise universe?

I wouldn’t say I was a mega fan – but I had seen the show before. It’s got a huge following over here – Australians love it. It’s definitely a guilty pleasure for people of all ages. I was so excited to find out that we were doing our own spin-off and adding our own flavour to it. Everyone I know was auditioning for it. When I saw the character of Glenn, I thought, “I’ve got to play this guy!” I was gobsmacked when I got the part.

Before getting down to work, your character spends his mornings surfing — do you live like Glenn?

It’s been a dream job – I get to enjoy all the best elements of what this country has to offer. I play a guy that lives by the beach, surfs, gets to have beers with his mates and solves crimes. It’s pretty sweet.

It feels like Australian fare is a staple on our screens at the moment — Colin from Accounts has most recently captivated UK audiences. What was that like to be a part of?

It was amazing! Pat and Harry [co-creators Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer] are phenomenal. I cannot speak highly enough of them. Everything you see them do as their characters on screen, is what they’re like in real life. They have that same banter – they’re fun and cheeky. It’s real and relatable and culturally it lands really well.

There have also been a few darker dramas — The Newsreader, The Tourist, The Twelve. Has the Australian TV industry upped its game?

I feel like we’ve always had a strong, thriving industry. I wouldn’t say it’s a chip on the shoulder – but maybe a little sibling complex. We’ve always been here and we do produce amazing artists and crew. So many Aussies have gone and made their mark in the UK and in the States. The generation before us really pushed us onto the world stage. I also think with streaming, it’s become a more universal world.

Australia is also famed for its soaps. You starred in Home and Away as Andy Barrett for three years — was it hard to leave behind such a big show and popular character?
It didn’t feel like a career risk – it felt like the perfect time. I’d been on the show for three years and it was one of the most fulfilling jobs. It’s been around for longer than I’ve been alive! It’s one of those shows that every person in this country knows. That, along with Neighbours, they’re so iconic and the characters are so well-known. To be able to step into a show that I grew up watching as a kid, as my first gig, I’ll always be grateful. They serve such
a valuable place in the industry – not just in terms of acting, but also for crew. It’s such a nourishing environment and you get so much time and experience in front of the camera.