Arts / ‘Twists and turns’ await as new series of Shetland begins filming
Among the guest cast will be actors such as Rab C Nesbitt’s Gregor Fisher and Still Game’s Gavin Mitchell
FILMING has begun on the new series of the BBC murder mystery drama Shetland, with some familiar faces among the series 11 guest cast.
Joining the cast for the series will be Rab C Nesbitt actor Gregor Fisher, while Gavin Mitchell – Bobby the barman from Still Game – will also appear.
Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell will be reprising their roles as DI Ruth Calder and DI Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh alongside series regulars and guest casting.
Filming will take place at locations around Scotland and in Shetland over the coming months, with the series arriving on BBC iPlayer and BBC One later this year.
Joining the cast of Shetland alongside Jensen and O’Donnell for this new six-part series are Christine Bottomley (Sherwood), Kevin Harvey (This City Is Ours), Stella Gonet (The Crown), Gregor Fisher (Only Child), and Gavin Mitchell (Crime).
Other guest cast include John Wark (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth), Jude Bain (Let It Come Down), Robin Weaver (Rivals), John McLarnon (I Swear), Beth Marshall (The Bombing of Pan Am 103), Daniel Boyd (House of the Dragon), Charlene Boyd (Department Q) and Helen Mackay (Shetland).
Returning for the new series are cast regulars Steven Robertson (playing DC Sandy Wilson), Lewis Howden (Billy McCabe), Samuel Anderson (Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake), Steven Miller (Rev Alan Calder), Anne Kidd (pathologist Cora McLean), Angus Miller (Donnie, Tosh’s partner), Conor McCarry (PC Alex Grant) and Eubha Akilade (PC Lorna Burns).
Originally based on award-winning novels by crime writer Ann Cleeves, the forthcoming new series centres around “an historic murder which will forever change the lives of all those connected in the present day”.
The BBC said when a car is pulled from the water, “a grim discovery is made – crammed in the boot are the decomposed, skeletal remains of an unknown male”.
“The team’s search to uncover the victim’s identity, begins with a hunt for the vehicle’s owner – a respected, local GP who left the isles under a cloud of troubled rumours nine years ago,” the BBC added.
“As Calder and Tosh dig deeper into the enigmatic GP’s state-of-mind and the lives of the loved ones he left behind, the investigation takes them to dark and dangerous places in their quest for the truth.”
Gaynor Holmes, commissioning editor for the BBC said the new series is “brimming with twists, turns, and the kind of emotional punch that keeps viewers hooked”.
“Paul Logue has once again spun a gripping, atmospheric story, with the wild beauty of the Shetland Isles at its heart,” he said.
“Alison and Ashley lead our stellar core cast who are joined by a brilliant line‑up of guest stars and supported by a crew whose craft and passion shine through in every frame – together showcasing Scotland on screen at its very best.”
Silverprint Pictures producer Kate Bartlett said the new series has a “distinctive and emotionally complex story, set against the stunning and evocative landscape of the Shetland Isles”.
“We’re thrilled to be making this new series with such incredible Scottish talent in all areas of production.”
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