BBC star confirms the future of acclaimed drama Shetland – but fans won’t be happy
A BBC star has confirmed the future of the acclaimed TV drama Shetland.
However, fans might not be happy with the direction of the show as the new series gets underway.
Ashley Jensen, 55, has played DI Ruth Calder on the popular detective series since she appeared in November 2023.
She joined Alison O’Donnell as DS Alison “Tosh” McIntosh in the eighth series of the crime drama.
In the first set of new episodes of Shetland, the pair were forced to look into a disappearance which hit very close to home.
The actress was previously invited into the studio on This Morning for a chat with Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.
Fans waited on tenterhooks for an update, but Ashley could not help but speak about the success of the show.
The actress also hinted that some characters might not work out the full mystery behind some of the cases.
Ashley admitted: “I keep going on about the scenery — but it’s an enigma about the Shetland Isles. It’s so isolated there, on its own.
“I went and visited one of the most northern tips of the Shetland Isles, which is actually nearer to Norway than it is to Britain, and I think there’s a mystical quality about it. It’s rather otherworldly.
“There’s a magic about it, and also, I feel people love a resolution. They love trying to work it out, but there’s a comfort in knowing that it will be resolved at the end, even if they don’t work it out.”
The publicly funded corporation has since revealed that Shetland has been given the green light for yet another series.
Filming will begin on the tenth instalment at the beginning of 2025, with new episodes set to hit screens later that year or at the beginning of 2026.
However, Ashley previously opened up on some of the challenging shoots and even confirmed there were delays due to the harsh conditions.
“This year, we got the proper Shetland weather, and we had snow in April and 60-mile-an-hour wind, and it was very, very cold. You can’t get home unless you have five days clear of no filming,” she admitted.
“You have to stay on the Island because the weather can literally turn at any moment.”
BBC crime dramas
The BBC is reopening case files on an all-star line-up of crime dramas this summer.
Here’s a refresher on the popular programmes which span six decades.
- Campion: Aired from 1989 to 1990, this detective drama series was adapted from novels by Margery Allingham and stars Peter Davison.
- Dalziel And Pascoe: A gritty detective drama series about a mismatched pair of policemen, based on the award-winning books by Reginald Hill. Aired from 1996 to 2007.
- Death In Paradise: A misanthropic detective inspector is assigned to a Caribbean island against his will. Premiered in 2011 and is still on air to this day.
- Happy Valley: Created by Sally Wainwright, this northern noir follows Sarah Lancashire as Sgt Catherine Cawood – tough, defiant and facing her traumatic past.
- Hinterland: Welsh drama starring Richard Harrington. Brooding DCI Tom Mathias uncovers secrets – and links to his troubled past amid mountainous terrain and close-knit villages. Aired from 2013 to 2016.
- Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Based on the novels of Elizabeth George, this drama series is about upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley and working class DS Barbara Havers. Aired from 2001 to 2007.
- Jonathan Creek: Starring comedian Alan Davies, this comedy-drama series follows a inventor of magic tricks who is often called in to solve puzzling murders. Aired from 1997 to 2016.
- Law & Order: Originally broadcast in 1978, this four-part drama series is about the British judicial system. Stars include Peter Dean and Derek Martin.
- Life On Mars: Beguiling science-fiction police drama following a Manchester policeman who travels back to 1973 following a car accident. Stars John Simm and Philip Glenister. Aired from 2006 to 2007.
- Line Of Duty: Created by Jed Mercurio, this drama follows the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit. Stars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, aired from 2012 to 2021.
- Luther: Crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther. Aired from 2010 to 2019, with a follow-up film released in 2023.
- New Tricks: Warm-hearted drama following an eccentric group of old-fashioned detectives. Starring Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam. Aired from 2003 to 2015.
- Sherlock: Benedict Cumberbatch stars a modern day Sherlock Holmes, teaming up with Martin Freeman‘s war veteran Dr Watson to solve impossible crimes. Aired from 2010 to 2017.
- Shetland: Detective drama starring Douglas Henshall, Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell, showcasing the dark side of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Premiered in 2013 and is still on air to this day.
- The Cops: Set in the fictional northern town of Stanton, this acclaimed, provocative police drama stars Katy Cavanagh, Rob Dixon and John Henshaw. Aired from 1998 to 2001.
- Waking The Dead: With a cast including Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston and Wil Johnson, this series follows a cold case team who unearths sleeping secrets, but sometimes the past is best left buried. Aired from 2000 to 2011.
- Wallander: Starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, Kurt Wallander is unable to unsee the dark crimes he’s tasked to investigate while Wallander’s job comes at a cost to his family and relationships. Aired from 2008 to 2016.
Adding: “There could be beautiful sun, then by the time you get to the airport, there is a thing called haar, which is a sea mist that comes down and planes can’t take off or land so they keep you there.
“But I think that is quite good because it leads to everyone having a bit of camaraderie and everybody getting along.”
Shetland is available to watch on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.