Shetland (TV series)

Shetland is a Scottish crime drama television series produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland. First broadcast on BBC One on 10 March 2013, it is originally based upon the novels of Ann Cleeves and adapted by David Kane. The first seven series starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez, whilst Ashley Jensen stars as DI Ruth Calder from the eighth series. The cast also includes Alison O'Donnell as DS Alison "Tosh" McIntosh and Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, as well as Lewis Howden and Anne Kidd. Henshall won the 2016 BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor and the series received the award for Best TV Drama.

The stories take place largely on the eponymous archipelago, although some of the filming takes place on the Scottish mainland. Most, but not all, exterior location filming takes place in Shetland; in 2021, filming of series 6 and 7 took place in Shetland in two segments, each of about six weeks’ duration. Interiors may be filmed in either Shetland or in west central Scotland.

On 2 December 2019, BBC One announced that two further series were intended for 2020 and 2021 with Henshall and O’Donnell returning in their roles. Production had to be postponed due to COVID-19. Series 6 broadcast began on 20 October 2021 and series 7 on 10 August 2022.

On 20 July 2022, it was announced that Shetland would return without Henshall in 2023 for an eighth series. Jensen was revealed as his replacement on 23 November that year. In March 2024, the show was recommissioned for series nine and ten in 2024 and 2025 with Jensen and O'Donnell reprising their roles.

Production
The first series consists of two episodes, a single two-part story based on the novel Red Bones by Ann Cleeves. This series was broadcast across two nights on 10 and 11 March 2013 and was produced by Sue de Beauvoir. Subsequently, a second series was commissioned by the BBC. Series two was extended to contain six episodes. These were filmed in 2013 and screened in 2014. This series features three two-part stories based on Cleeves' novels Raven Black, Dead Water, and Blue Lightning. This series was produced by Peter Gallagher.

Filming began in April 2015 for a third series, which began screening in January 2016. This series saw a change in format; with all six episodes covering a single story, written exclusively for television. This was the first series not to adapt any of Cleeves' novels. Ciarán Hinds and Anna Chancellor were among the new cast members for this series. A fourth series was announced by the BBC in July 2016. Again, this series is a single story played out across six episodes and written exclusively for television. Stephen Walters and Neve McIntosh were among the new cast members announced for the series. It was broadcast on BBC One beginning on 13 February 2018. Series 5 was broadcast on BBC1 from 12 February 2019.

During filming, the cast and crew are usually based in Glasgow and other areas of mainland Scotland. Filming often takes place in areas with landscape or buildings reminiscent of those in the Shetland Islands, such as Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, Barrhead, where Henshall was born and grew up, Ayr and Irvine, North Ayrshire. "My character’s house is actually in Kilbarchan, the interior of a couple of crofts are here [in Irvine, Ayrshire] and the police station is in Barrhead," Henshall said in a 2019 interview.

Filming locations on or near Shetland have included Lerwick, the NorthLink ferry and the village of Wester Quarff, south of Lerwick. Some filming was on Fair Isle for series 2. The Hillswick wildlife sanctuary featured in series 4.

Shortly before series 7 premiered, Henshall announced that the series would be his last. It was then announced that he would be replaced in the leading role by Ashley Jensen from the eighth series. Filming for series 9 started in Shetland in April 2024.

Current

 * Ashley Jensen as Ruth Calder, detective inspector (series 8–)
 * Alison O'Donnell as Alison "Tosh" McIntosh, detective sergeant (series 1–)
 * Steven Robertson as Sandy Wilson, detective constable (series 1–)
 * Lewis Howden as Billy McBride, police sergeant (series 1, 3–)
 * Anne Kidd as Cora McLean, forensic pathologist (series 5–, recurring series 2–4)

Former

 * Douglas Henshall as Jimmy Pérez, detective inspector (series 1–7)
 * Mark Bonnar as Duncan Hunter, Cassie's biological father (series 1–7)
 * Julie Graham as Rhona Kelly, procurator fiscal (series 2–5, 7)
 * Erin Armstrong as Cassie Pérez, Jimmy's stepdaughter (series 1–7)
 * Anneika Rose as Maggie Kean, procurator fiscal (series 6–7)
 * Lucianne McEvoy as Meg Pattison (series 6–7)

Recurring cast

 * Stewart Porter as Billy McBride, police sergeant (series 2; temporarily replacing Lewis Howden)
 * Fiona Bell as Donna Killick (series 4, 6)
 * Neve McIntosh as Kate Kilmuir (series 4, 6)
 * Julia Brown as Molly Kilmuir (series 4, 6)
 * Jimmy Chisholm as Alec MacBay (series 4, 6)
 * Conor McCarry as PC Alex Grant (series 5–)
 * Angus Miller as Donnie (series 5–)
 * Eubha Akilade as PC Lorna Burns (series 7–)
 * Tibu Fortes as Harry Lamont, procurator fiscal (series 8–)
 * Steven Miller as Reverend Alan Calder (series 8-)

Series 1
Red Bones
 * Sandra Voe as Mima Wilson
 * Claire Rafferty as Anna Haldane
 * Jim Sturgeon as Ronald Haldane
 * Gemma Chan as Hattie James
 * Geraldine Alexander as Gwen James
 * Lindy Whiteford as Jackie Haldane
 * James Greene as Andrew Haldane
 * Martin Wenner as Professor Paul Berglund
 * Alexander Morton as Joseph Wilson
 * Sophie Rundle as Sophie
 * Sooz Aitken as Young Mima Wilson

Series 2
Raven Black
 * Rebecca Benson as Sally Henry
 * Brian Cox as Magnus Bain
 * Sophia Carr-Gomm as Catherine Ross
 * Chris Reilly as Alan Isbister
 * Cara Kelly as Margaret Henry
 * Frances Grey as Jess Collins
 * Freya Monk as Kitty Collins
 * Matthew Zajac as Alex Henry
 * Anthony Flanagan as Euan Ross
 * Tunji Kasim as Hugo Scott
 * Jana Reinermann as Gret Bruce
 * Jordan Young as Brian Bruce

Dead Water
 * Nina Sosanya as Willow Reeves
 * Alex Norton as Cameron Watt
 * David Hayman as Joe Dalhousie
 * Kari Corbett as Evie Watt
 * Marnie Baxter as Jenny Belshaw
 * Iain Robertson as Jerry Markham
 * Clive Russell as Adam Markham
 * Gerda Stevenson as Maria Markham
 * Neil McKinven as Andy Belshaw
 * Forbes Masson as Reg Gilbert
 * Henry Pettigrew as Iain Redford
 * Steven Cree as John Henderson
 * Leanne Best as Annabel

Blue Lightning
 * John Lynch as Frank Blake
 * Bill Paterson as James Pérez
 * Leigh Biagi as Anna Blake
 * Anthony Howell as Peter Latimer
 * David Ireland as Finlay Caulfield
 * Julie Hale as Tessa Warren
 * Keith Ramsay as Joe Blake
 * Annie Louise Ross as Mary Pérez
 * Susan Vidler as Isobel Tulloch
 * Lorne MacFadyen as Angus Tulloch
 * Michael Nardone as Donnie Tulloch
 * David Annen as Bill Warren
 * Paksie Vernon as Gina Bradley

Series 3

 * Ciarán Hinds as Michael Maguire
 * Saskia Reeves as Freya Galdie
 * Sara Vickers as Leanne Randall
 * Andrew Rothney as Robbie Morton
 * Archie Panjabi as DS Asha Israni
 * Anna Chancellor as Phyllis Brenan
 * James Cosmo as Arthur MacCall
 * Jamie Michie as Lowrie
 * Kate Donnelly as Grace
 * Mark Cox as Tommy Monro
 * Struan Rodger as Alec
 * Ace Bhatti as Calvin Sarwar
 * Jack Greenlees as Craig Cooper
 * Benjamin Cawley as Edison

Series 4

 * Stephen Walters as Thomas Malone
 * Sean McGinley as Drew McColl
 * Amy Lennox as Sally McColl
 * Sophie Stone as Jo Halley
 * Gerard Miller as Alan Killick
 * Allison McKenzie as Gail Callahan
 * Arnmundur Ernst Björnsson as DS Lars Bleymann
 * Carolin Stoltz as DI Anke Strom
 * Eleanor Matsuura as DI Jessie Cole
 * Joi Johannsson as Andreas Hagan
 * Hannah Donaldson as Meg Hamilton
 * Michael Moreland as Benny Ray
 * Eldar Skar as NDA leader

Series 5

 * Rakie Ayola as Olivia Lennox
 * Derek Riddell as Chris Brooks
 * Catherine Walker as Alice Brooks
 * Tracy Wiles as Carla Hayes
 * Owen Whitelaw as Prentice Hayes
 * Lorn Macdonald as Jamie Hayes
 * Ryan Fletcher as Calum Dunwoody
 * John Kazek as Paul Kiernan
 * Meghan Tyler as Mags
 * Ayanda Bhebe as Daniel Ugara
 * Robin Laing as Gavin Laird
 * Gail Watson as Mary Hunter
 * Frances Mayli McCann as Niki
 * Emma Mullen as Rosie
 * Titana Muthui as Zezi Ugara
 * Kirsty Stuart as Morag Dunwoody
 * Kate Dickie as Sam Boyd
 * Jenni Keenan-Green as Claire McGuire
 * Therese Bradley as Andrea Doyle
 * Robert Cavanah as Graeme Benson

Series 6

 * Cora Bissett as Eve Galbraith
 * Shona McHugh as Merran Galbraith
 * Stephen McCole as Logan Creggan
 * Kate Bracken as Lynda Morton
 * Thoren Ferguson as Eamon Gauldie
 * Andy Clark as Mick Muir
 * Lewis Gribben as Fraser Creggan
 * Sharif Dorani as Nazir Nassan
 * Julie-Yara Atz as Salma Nassan
 * Helene Maksoud as Rasha Nassan
 * Shonagh Price as Sister Carolyn/Lyn Harrison
 * Benny Young as James Pérez
 * Alec Newman as Niven Guthrie
 * Jim Sturgeon as Alex Galbraith
 * Lucianne McEvoy as Meg Pattison

Series 7

 * Shauna Macdonald as Rachel Cairns
 * Andrew Whipp as Danny Cairns
 * Patrick Robinson as Lloyd Anderson
 * Laurie Brett as Alison Woods
 * Stuart McQuarrie as Murry Rankin
 * Alexandra Finnie as Clana

Series 8

 * Maisie Norma Seaton as Ellen Quinn
 * Phyllis Logan as Grace Bain
 * Dawn Steele as Stella Quinn
 * Barry O'Connor as Kieran Quinn
 * Don Gilét as John Howell
 * Jamie Sives as Cal Innes
 * Ann Louise Ross as Agnes Moffat
 * Lorraine McIntosh as Heather Bain
 * Arnas Fedaravičius as Lukas Nowak
 * Manjinder Virk as Farida Sadat
 * Francesco Piacentini-Smith as Gerry Byrne

Series 3 (2016)
The broadcast of Episode 6 was delayed due to coverage of an FA Cup replay being broadcast. In contrast to Season 2 (three 2-part episodes), Season 3 is one 6-part story.

Series 4 (2018)
The broadcast of Episode 3 was delayed by 24 hours due to the broadcast of an FA Cup replay.

Home media
Released on DVD in Australia, Shetland, Series 1 consists of the pilot "Red Bones" and the Series 2 episodes "Raven Black", "Dead Water" and "Blue Lightning". Series 2 contains the Series 3 episodes, Series 3 contains the Series 4 episodes, and Series 4 contains the Season 5 episodes.

On Australian Region 4 DVD, The Pilot episode is stated as being Pilot and not Series 1, with the Series 2 episodes being stated as Series 1. Quote from the DVD "This DVD set includes the Pilot Red Bones and all episodes from series one Raven Black, Dead Water and Blue Lightning". However, the UK releases are Series 1 through 7 rather than Series 1 through 6 in Australia.

International broadcasts

 * Australia: The programme airs on BBC First and ABC in Australia. Series 1-4 is also available on Netflix (Series 1 and 2 are combined and listed as Series 1, then Series 3 and 4 are listed as Series 2 and 3 respectively).
 * Belgium: The programme began airing on Flemish public broadcaster VRT's main channel, één, in October 2015.
 * Canada: The series is broadcast on British Columbia's Knowledge Network It is also carried by Toronto's VisionTV.
 * Denmark: Danish network DR 1 began showing Shetland in October 2015.
 * Germany: The series began airing on Das Erste at the end of March 2016.
 * Estonia: The series began airing on ETV in September 2020.
 * Finland: Viewers in Finland were able to start watching the show from August 2015 on public broadcaster YLE's main TV1 channel, where the show was titled "Shetlandsaarten murhat."
 * France : The series began airing on Polar + in February 2018
 * Ireland: The series began airing on Virgin Media in February 2019.
 * Italy: The series began airing on Giallo in March 2018.
 * Japan: The series began airing on AXN Mystery in May 2015.
 * Netherlands: Shetland is aired as part of the "Detectives" series from KRO-NCRV on NPO 1.
 * New Zealand: The programme began airing in New Zealand on Vibe in January 2016.
 * Norway: Shetland is aired on public broadcaster NRK.
 * Portugal: The programme began airing in Portugal on Fox Crime in August 2016.
 * Spain: The programme began airing in Galicia on Televisión de Galicia in October 2015.
 * Slovenia: The programme began airing in Slovenia on public broadcaster RTVSLO in July 2015.
 * Sweden: Swedish public broadcaster SVT started airing the 3rd series in January 2016 on their primary network SVT1.
 * United States: The series is broadcast on many stations of the Public Broadcasting System.
 * The series became available on Netflix in 2016. In 2018, the Britbox streaming service acquired the exclusive rights to Shetland's Series 4, releasing new episodes weekly. Similarly, Series 5 has been released one episode per week beginning 30 April 2019. In April 2019, Netflix dropped the series from its streaming service in the US. Amazon has Series 1-3 available for fee purchase by episode or by season but is not included in its Prime streaming subscription. (Note that Series 1 [2 episodes] and Series 2 [6 episodes] are bundled into one season for purchase.)