Shetland spoilers follow.
Shetland ended season seven with the departure of DI Jimmy Perez, which could have easily killed off this beloved detective drama. Thankfully though, the BBC had enough faith in the series to renew it for an eighth season, even without their lead who's been with the show these past nine years.
The BBC was also kind enough to let us know about this renewal before season seven started to air, so we weren't left worrying for the fate of the show after Douglas Henshall's exit.
But what does this mean for the future of Shetland? How will the show go on without Jimmy? And most importantly of all, who replaced Henshall in the lead role?
Join us here at Digital Spy as we share everything you need to know about Shetland season eight on the BBC.
Shetland season 8 release date: When did it air on BBC?
When Shetland's season eight renewal was announced, the BBC confirmed that filming for these new episodes would start at some point in spring 2023, which meant the show would likely return to our screens later on in the year.
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And indeed it did, airing six episodes between November 1 and December 6.
Shetland season 8 cast: Who replaced Douglas Henshall?
When Jimmy's surprise exit was first announced, Douglas Henshall shared a statement on his departure, saying: "I'll miss him and the place. I wish everyone involved much luck with whatever happens next."
"We will miss him enormously," added executive producer for BBC Drama, Gaynor Holmes. "But he leaves the show in rude health and we're extremely excited about the plans we have for bringing more of this much-loved drama to audiences far and wide."
In a separate interview with Radio Times, Henshall admitted: "It will be weird knowing they're shooting an eighth series and I'm not there. I hope it works out and I wish them every success, but it isn't going to be the show I was in. They will have to make a whole other show."
The BBC later confirmed that a new lead would be ushered in, much like other similar shows such as The Bay. But who was it?
The most obvious choice was Tosh, played by Alison O'Donnell. Jimmy's right-hand woman has been there since the very beginning, and it seemed like the perfect time for her to step up and take over from her mentor.
Another name that had been thrown around was DI Fraser Brooks, played by Brian Ferguson. He's a relatively new face to Shetland, but story-wise, it could make a lot of sense.
Fans were setting their heights high with other suggestions like Line of Duty's Martin Compston, which proved to be wishful thinking.
Well no need to hold your breath any longer. His replacement was confirmed as none other than Ugly Betty star Ashley Jensen.
Jensen took over the leading role in season eight as new character DI Ruth Calder, who returned to the Shetland island’s after 20 years working for the Metropolitan Police in London. Jensen couldn't be more pleased to step into the role, in an official statement she said:
"It's a real privilege to be asked to lead this show into a new chapter."
"There will be a different dynamic with Ruth amongst the regular characters and a few more new interesting characters to enjoy."
She added: "However the integrity of the show and the world that has been created will remain very much in the same tone as the last seven seasons."
This different feel extended to the show's shoot for Jensen's co-star Alison O'Donnell (via Radio Times).
"It was night and day, to be honest. It was always going to be really, really different because I had cut my teeth working alongside Dougie and learning how to do this job," she said. "I had grown into that iteration of the show and I felt very comfortable in that.
"I always felt like I could anticipate what was coming, so everybody knew that was all going to be out of the window [with this season].
"At the same time, I felt very awake. It was nice to be reawakened and to a certain extent, start all over again, although at the same time I was able to bring a decade of experience of what this show is and what my experience of this show is, and Ashley's experience of everything she's done before, and we just tried to meet in the middle."
Shetland season 8 plot: What happened?
Shetland had long hinted at Jimmy's exit, but it wasn't until the very end of season seven that we finally learned how he’d depart the show.
Long story short, Jimmy helped a man escape extradition and death, which was obviously the right thing to do – but not when it comes to his career.
"If the last thing I do is help an innocent man, I'm good with that," Jimmy told Rhona in the season seven finale.
And so marked the end of Jimmy's role as detective. While we'll probably never find out what's next for him and Meg, the new episodes of Shetland kicked things off with the introduction of Ashley Jensen as the brand new lead.
The official synopsis for season eight is as follows: "After thirty years away, Met detective DI Ruth Calder heads back home on the trail of Ellen Quinn – the scared witness to a London gangland murder.
"In Lerwick, Tosh pauses her investigation into a string of sinister animal deaths to help Calder find Ellen before it’s too late. Ellen’s family are the influential and notorious Bains, led by dominant matriarch, Grace. Calder and Tosh discover her mother Stella and father Kieran haven’t seen Ellen since she left for London six months ago and are surprised to hear that she’s back in Shetland.
"Matters are made worse when armed hitmen - the experienced Howell and volatile Nowak - arrive on the Isles on a mission to silence Ellen.
"On top of the twists and turns of the case, Calder is faced with figures from her past including her ex-boyfriend Cal Innes and estranged younger brother Alan – now the minister of their late father’s old kirk. However, these siblings have starkly different views of their shared childhood.
"It’s clear from the off, Calder has no love for Tosh’s adopted home and their journey into the dark recesses of Shetland's past and present will test their partnership to the limit."
Shetland season 8 trailer: Where can I watch it?
Right here! Watch the trailer above.
Shetland airs on BBC One and is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
