You know that a crime drama is a cracking when it enters it's 10th series, and that's exactly the case with the BBC's 5-star drama Shetland set in the remote Scottish island.
The hugely popular crime-drama series starring Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder and Alison O’Donnell as DI Alison “Tosh” McIntosh is once again set to immerse us in the remote and brooding landscapes of the Scottish isles.
With a strong mix of returning favourites and fresh faces, Series 10 promises to deliver the trademark tension, community secrets and haunting scenery that have made the show a steady favourite.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new instalment...
What is Shetland about?
Shetland is based on the novels by Ann Cleeves and centres on crime investigations in a tight-knit island community where nothing is quite as it seems. The series first introduced DI Jimmy Pérez (played by Douglas Henshall) but from Series 8 the focus shifted to DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen). This change refreshed the show while keeping much of the core cast and stunning location-work intact. The backdrop of the Shetland Isles offers isolation, stunning scenery and a sense of community entanglement, perfect for the kind of mysteries the show explores.
Who’s starring in Series 10?
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)
What’s the plot for Series 10?
In Series 10 the setting shifts more tightly into the fictional hamlet of “Lunniswick”, an isolated community where the local bonds are strong and secrets run deep. The investigation begins with the death of a retired social worker whose body had been exposed to the elements for several days. Calder and Tosh are drawn into the victim’s past and the hidden tensions of the village, revealing “dark secrets and terrible deeds” beneath the surface.
The island setting plays a strong role in the mood of the series — the sense of community, the isolation and the landscape all contribute to the atmosphere and the suspense.
When is Shetland Series 10 airing?
Shetland series 10 is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Wednesday 5th November. Don't forget, you can stream all previous series of Shetland on BBC iPlayer.
Claire Tapley is a digital editor for Yours.co.uk. She is a journalist with over 18 years' experience writing for women over 50. Before moving to Yours.co.uk, she was deputy editor of Yours magazine for nine years. She has been writing about TV shows and interviewing celebs for many years.