Douglas Henshall will make his final appearance on BBC drama Shetland in the last episode of series seven tonight.
Having starred in the show since 2013, the actor is reprising his role of DI Jimmy Perez one last time for the murder mystery’s latest outing.
The BBC has confirmed that Shetland will return for an eighth series in 2023, with a new lead and further casting to be announced in due course.
Douglas Henshall said: “After series 5 of Shetland, David Kane [Shetland writer] and I decided we wanted to do two more series to complete the story of Jimmy Perez. So series 6 and 7 were commissioned together to give us time to wrap up Perez’s story to a satisfactory end.
“It’s been one of the privileges of my career to play Jimmy Perez for almost ten years and to work with so many wonderful people both in front of and behind the camera, and also to spend so much time in Shetland.
“The Isles were so much a part of our show and of Perez himself. I’ll miss him and the place. I wish everyone involved much luck with whatever happens next.”
A teaser for the seventh series shares: “Douglas Henshall’s last outing as DI Perez features in a thrilling new six-part series of Shetland which sees the team investigate the mysterious disappearance of a vulnerable young man.
“The investigation draws Perez into the secret past of a family new to Shetland, revealing an unimaginable threat to the community.”
The new episodes guest star Shauna Macdonald (The Cry, The Descent), Laurie Brett (Waterloo Road, EastEnders), Patrick Robinson (Death in Paradise, Casualty), Andrew Whipp (Vera, The Mallorca Files), Stuart McQuarrie (Elizabeth Is Missing, The Crown), Ladi Emeruwa (Riveria, Humans), Lauren Conroy (Rent, 9 to 5), Nick Nunn (The Victim, Clique) and Sorcha Groundsell (Grantchester, The Innocents, Clique).
They’ll appear alongside series regulars are Alison O’Donnell (Tosh), Steven Robertson (Sandy), Mark Bonnar (Duncan), Anne Kidd (Cora), Lewis Howden (Sgt Billy McCabe), Erin Armstrong (Cassie), Angus Miller (Donnie), Anneika Rose (Maggie Kean) and the return of Julie Graham as Procurator Fiscal Rhona Kelly.
Shetland series 7 is currently available on iPlayer.
Gaynor Holmes, Executive Producer for BBC Drama said: “It has been an absolute privilege to work on Shetland over the past few years and watch the show go from strength to strength – in no small part thanks to Douglas’s sensitive, intelligent and memorable portrayal of DI Jimmy Perez.
“We will miss him enormously but he leaves the show in rude health and we’re extremely excited about the plans we have for bringing more of this much loved drama to audiences far and wide.”
The show’s eighth series will start filming from Spring 2023 in locations on the Shetland Isles and across Scotland.
Casting for this new series will be announced in the coming months.
