When a TV show enters its 10th series, it’s a serious milestone and usually suggests it makes for pretty impeccable viewing. That’s certainly the case for BBC One’s flawless crime drama Shetland, which has just started filming its all-important 10th instalment. But it’s not resting on its laurels yet. The surprising new series is bringing with it some exciting changes, including a whole host of new cast members.

While series 10 will reunite us with DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) and DI Alison ‘Tosh’ MacIntosh (Alison O’Donnell), who are investigating the murder of a retired social worker, in the Shetland Isles, we’ll also meet stars of Motherland, Amandaland and Vera, who are joining the cast. As for the new plot, this might just be the most sinister crime Calder and Tosh have had to deal with yet.

Ahead of the show’s return, here’s everything we know about series 10, including the cast, plot and expected release date.

What to read next


What is Shetland about?

The Scottish crime drama was originally based on the award-winning novels by Anne Cleeves, with the first series, which aired in 2013, starring Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez. Set in the isolated Scottish Shetland Isles, we saw Pérez and his police colleagues become entwined in the tight-knit island community as they investigated mysterious disappearances and murders.

shetland,06 11 2024,behind the scenes,di ruth calder (ashley jensen);di ‘tosh’ mcintosh (alison o’donnell),behind the scenes,itv studios,robert pereira hind
Robert Pereira Hind

Ashley Jensen replaced Douglas Henshall in the 8th series, taking on the lead role of DI Ruth Calder. For the past two series, she and DI 'Tosh' Mcintosh (Alison O'Donnell) have investigated grizzly crimes on the Scottish islands, from the disappearance of a young girl to a deadly case involving a murder and a former Oxford professor.

What will happen in Shetland series 10?

The new six-part series will see the return of Calder (Ashley Jensen) and Tosh (Alison O’Donnell) who travel to the isolated hamlet of Lunniswick to investigate the sinister killing of an elderly woman. The body of the retired social worker has been out in the elements for a number of days, raising a number of questions.

shetland,06 11 2024,1,di ruth calder (ashley jensen);di ‘tosh’ mcintosh (alison o’donnell),itv studios,robert pereira hind
Robert Pereira Hind

According to the official synopsis: “The case will see Tosh and Calder excavate the victim’s life, past and present, as well as the lives of those who knew her. They soon begin to uncover dark secrets and terrible deeds at the heart of this close-knit community.”

Gaynor Holmes, Commissioning Editor for the BBC has called it “a compellingly new, gnarly and emotional murder mystery”, while Kate Bartlett, Executive Producer for production company Silverprint Pictures says it's "a distinctive and emotionally complex story, set against the stunning and evocative landscape of the Shetland Isles."

Who's starring in Shetland series 10?

shetland,04 12 2024,4,di ‘tosh’ mcintosh (alison o’donnell) sgt billy mccabe (lewis howden),itv studios,jamie simpson
Jamie Simpson

The new series of Shetland will see the return of series regulars, including:

  • Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder
  • Alison O’Donnell as DI Alison ‘Tosh’ MacIntosh
  • Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson
  • Lewis Howden as Sgt Billy McCabe
  • Anne Kidd as pathologist Cora McLean
  • Angus Miller as Donnie, Tosh’s partner
  • Conor McCarry as PC Alex Grant
  • Eubha Akilade as PC Lorna Burns

The new series will see a whole host of new stars join the cast, too, including:

  • Clive Russell (The Witcher, Sandman)
  • Ellie Haddington (Motherland, Guilt)
  • Niall MacGregor (The Bombing of Pan AM 103, Line of Duty)
  • Greg McHugh (Guilt, The A Word)
  • Frances Gray (Tom Jones, Vera)
  • Louise Brealey (Such Brave Girls, Clique)
  • Stuart Townsend (Into the Deep, Two Minutes to Midnight)
  • Stephen McMillan (Toxic Town, Boiling Point)
  • Saskia Ashdown (Karen Pirie, The Rig)
  • Lila Rose (Traces)
  • Joanne Thomson (Outlander, The Victim)
  • Gabriel Akuwudike (Screw, The Beautiful Game)
  • Leigh Biagi (The Prodigal Father, The Lost King)
  • Samuel Anderson (Amandaland, Back to Black)

Is Shetland any good?

shetland,06 11 2024,1,pc alex grant (conor mccarry),itv studios,robert pereira hind
Robert Pereira Hind

The long-running series has proved a huge hit with viewers, with series 9 in the top 10 most watched BBC drama series last year. It was also the number one BBC drama of 2024 in Scotland. Critics have called it “flawless” and “the best crime drama you’ll see all year”.

How can I watch Shetland series 10?

The BBC hasn’t yet shared an official release date for Shetland series 10, but we do know that the past two series have arrived on our screens in November, so we’d expect the 10thinstalment to follow suit – hopefully, this year! In the meantime, you can stream all previous series of Shetland on BBC iPlayer.