Filming of new Shetland series gets underway with grim new case to solve

Ashley Jensen as Calder and Alison O’Donnell as Tosh in Shetland series 10. | CREDIT LINE:BBC/Silverprint Films/Jamie Simpson

There are new cases on Shetland to be solved as DI Ruth Calder and DI Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh get to work once again on a grim discovery that unlocks the secrets of islanders past - and present.

Filming of the new season of the BBC Scotland murder mystery drama is to get underway today (Friday), with the streets of Lerwick - and the wider island landscape - to be transformed once more into the familiar stomping ground of two of television’s best-loved detectives over the coming months.

Originally based on award-winning novels by crime writer Ann Cleeves, the forthcoming new series centres around an historic murder which will forever change the lives of all those connected in the present day.

READ MORE: How 12 years as Tosh on BBC’s Shetland has shaped Alison O’Donnell

The case unfolds when a car is pulled from the water and the boot is popped. Crammed inside 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 trouble and rumours nine years ago.

As Calder (Ashley Jensen) and Tosh (Alison O’Donnell) dig deeper into the 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 search for the truth.

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.

READ MORE: ‘When I did Shetland I just really felt like I had kind of come home’- Ashley Jensen

“(Writer) 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.”

Joining the cast of Shetland alongside Jensen and O’Donnell for this new six-part series include actors Gregor Fisher, Sherwood star Christine Bottomley, Kevin Harvey of crime family saga This City Is Ours and Stella Gonet, who appeared in The Crown.

Back on the Shetland beat are Steven Robertson, who plays DC Sandy Wilson and Eubh Akilade, who plays PC Lorna Burns. Samuel Anderson plays Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake and Anne Kidd is back as pathologist Cora McLean.

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 was in the top five most watched BBC Drama series of 2025. In Scotland, it remained the No.1 BBC Drama with audiences.