First look at new BBC Shetland series as details of murder mystery revealed
The BBC has lifted the lid on the new series of its hit crime drama Shetland ahead of its return to the screens next month.
First images and the new murder mystery that will unfold have been revealed, along with the cast of special guests who will be appearing.
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Hide AdAshley Jensen, who made her debut in series eight of Shetland last year, will be reunited with long-time star Alison O'Donnell as detectives Ruth Calder and Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh.
Their first story together attracted an average audience of seven million viewers across its run, with the BBC going on to announce a further two series of Shetland earlier this year.
The new six-part story, which will launch on BBC One and the iPlayer on November 6, sees the two detectives drawn into "a chilling tale of disappearance and death" after a friend of Tosh's goes missing.
Ian Hart, star of Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Harry Potter and Boardwalk Empire, and Vincent Regan, star of Traces, Lucther and The Bay, will have key roles in the new series, which will also feature guest appearances from Stuart Campbell, Robert Jack, Nalini Chetty, Jimmy Yuill and Lesley Hart.
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Hide AdShetland, which was first broadcast in 2013, was initially based on the best-selling novels series by Ann Cleeves and featured Douglas Henshall in the lead role of Jimmy Perez for seven seasons.
Jensen, whose previous roles include Mayflies, After Life, Ugly Betty and Extras, was announced as the new lead for the series two years ago.
The synopsis for the new series states: "A double missing person’s case blurs the lines between the personal and the professional, as Calder and Tosh are drawn into a labyrinthine investigation.
“When Tosh’s friend Annie goes missing, she suspects something is seriously wrong. Ruth Calder has no time to recover from a life-threatening ordeal of her own, as together they set out in search of Annie and her young son.
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Hide Ad"They discover that accountant Annie is estranged from her husband, Ian, and has been staying with mussel farmer John Harris and his two sons, Patrick and Fergus. Worryingly, there’s no sign of Annie there either.
"Calder follows Tosh’s instincts and looks for Annie at the home she shared with Ian. There, they discover Professor Euan Rossi, who claims to have been Annie’s Oxford University tutor many years ago. Suspicions are stirred when Tosh and Calder learn Rossi travelled all the way to Shetland after Annie left him a distressed voicemail the night she vanished. Calder can’t shake the feeling there’s more to Rossi than meets the eye.
"Meanwhile, Calder delves deeper into another case involving a deadly argument between two brothers. The missing persons’ investigation draws Tosh and Calder into a web of lies and when a bloodied person turns up at a remote garage, nothing can prepare the team for what lies ahead."
O'Donnell said: "I'm really proud of the journey this show has been on and of the way it continues to evolve and grow in exciting and surprising ways. That we have managed to grow such a loyal and supportive viewership is a dream come true.
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Hide Ad"Ashley and I just scratched the surface of our dynamic in series eight and I am delighted that we now have the opportunity to build on that."
Jensen said: "The reaction to the last series was incredible and I’m excited at the prospect of unravelling more intrigue."
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