The BBC has confirmed that ‘Shetland’ is back in production, with Ashley Jensen (Ugly Betty) and Alison O’Donnell (The Control Room) returning for a brand new run of the hit Scottish crime drama.
Filming is now underway across Scotland and the Shetland Isles, with the six-part series set to arrive later this year on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Alongside Jensen’s DI Ruth Calder and O’Donnell’s DI Alison “Tosh” McIntosh, the new season also brings in a strong batch of guest stars, including Christine Bottomley (Sherwood), Kevin Harvey (This City Is Ours), Stella Gonet (The Crown), Gregor Fisher (Only Child), and Gavin Mitchell (Crime).
Other guest cast joining ‘Shetland’ for the new series 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).
A number of familiar faces are also returning, with Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, Lewis Howden as Billy McCabe, Samuel Anderson as Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake, Steven Miller as Rev Alan Calder, Anne Kidd as pathologist Cora McLean, Angus Miller as Donnie, Tosh’s partner, Conor McCarry as PC Alex Grant, and Eubha Akilade as PC Lorna Burns.
This time around, ‘Shetland’ digs into a cold and deeply unsettling mystery. When a car is pulled from the water, police discover the decomposed skeletal remains of an unknown man stuffed into the boot. The investigation soon leads Calder and Tosh towards the vehicle’s owner, a respected local GP who left the Isles nine years earlier amid troubling rumours. From there, the case spirals into darker territory as the team tries to piece together what really happened and how the past continues to haunt the present.
The new run is once again rooted in the world created by Ann Cleeves (Vera), with Paul Logue (The Bay) serving as lead writer alongside Anita Vettesse (The Control Room) and Ross Dunsmore (Shetland). The series is produced by Angus Sharpe, directed by Ruth Carney and Jonny Blair, and executive produced by Gaynor Holmes for the BBC, alongside Kate Bartlett, Paul Logue and Denise Paul for Silverprint Pictures.
Gaynor Holmes, Commissioning Editor for the BBC says: “This new series of Shetland 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. 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.”
Kate Bartlett, Executive Producer for Silverprint Pictures says: “We’re so excited about this new series of Shetland with Ashley and Alison, alongside our wonderful returning cast and a fantastic guest cast. Paul Logue has created 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.”
‘Shetland’ remains one of the BBC’s biggest drama successes, ranking among the broadcaster’s top five most-watched dramas of 2025, and continuing to hold the top BBC drama spot in Scotland. With a fresh mystery, a great returning core cast, and one of TV’s best atmospheric backdrops, this next chapter looks set to keep that run going.
‘Shetland’ Season 11 does not yet have a premiere date but will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date. Visit Never Miss.
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