Shetland season 11 gets major update from BBC as flurry of new guest stars confirmed

Filming has started on the 11th season of Shetland, with stars Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell returning to their roles as DI Ruth Calder and DI Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh.

The BBC has confirmed that series regulars Steven Robertson (DC Sandy Wilson), Samuel Anderson (Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake), Steven Miller (Rev Alan Calder), Anne Kidd (pathologist Cora McLean), Angus Miller (Tosh’s partner Donnie), Conor McCarry (PC Alex Grant) and Eubha Akilade (PC Lorna Burns) are back for the new episodes, which will film in Scotland and the Shetland Isles over the next few months.

Fans will be pleased to learn that Sergeant Billy McCabe (played by Lewis Howden) will also return, after his future was left unclear at the end of season 10, when he handed himself into professional standards over mistakes he made 20 years earlier.

Based on the novels by Ann Cleeves, each season of Shetland focuses on one crime that Ruth’s team has to solve, and season 11 will be no exception.

The synopsis says that "the forthcoming new series centres around an historic murder which will forever change the lives of all those connected in the present day".

The synopsis continues: "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.

"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."

The BBC has also announced some of the guest actors who will appear in the new season.

Sherwood's Christine Bottomley will appear alongside This City Is Ours actor Kevin Harvey and Holby City star Stella Gonet. Joining them are Rab C Nesbitt comedian Gregor Fisher, Crime’s Gavin Mitchell and Summerwater’s Charlene Boyd.

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Gaynor Holmes, the commissioning editor for the BBC, teased what fans should expect from the new run, saying: "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."

Watch the Shetland season 10 trailer below:

Shetland seasons 1-10 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Ann Cleeves's Shetland novels are available to buy.

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