Shetland with a royal twist! What “surprise” new cast means for the detective drama’s “emotional” 11th series

Name a detective drama that’s better than Shetland. It’s not easy, is it? The beloved show, which made it into the top five most viewed BBC dramas of 2025, gets more watchable with every new series and, fortunately, there’s not long to wait until another one arrives. The BBC has confirmed an 11^th series is coming - and it's less than two weeks away!

Not only is it set to be pretty emotional, it also has something of a royal twist thanks to the arrival or some surprise cast members. The Crown’s Stella Gonet (remember Margaret Lambert, anyone?), Sherwood’s Christine Bottomley and This City is Ours’ Kevin Harvey are among the fresh faces joining our lead detectives DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) and DI 'Tosh' McIntosh (Alison O'Donnell) – and it seems their arrival is set to shake things.

Ahead of Shetland’s return to our screens later this November, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming 11^th series, including the plot, new cast and release date.

What is Shetland about?

The Scottish detective drama was originally based on the award-winning novels by Anne Cleeves, before moving to original storylines. Set in the isolated Scottish Shetland Isles, the first series, which aired in 2013, starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez, who had his fair share of puzzling murder mysteries to deal with. Henshall played Pérez for seven series and dealt with everything from the murder of an elderly Shetlander to a journalist’s fatal car accident and a scientist’s mysterious death.

In series eight, Ashley Jensen replaced Henshall and took on the lead role of DI Ruth Calder. For the past three series, she and DI 'Tosh' McIntosh (Alison O'Donnell) have had their hands full with cases to investigate. Think a double disappearance case and a London gangland murder. The latest instalment (series 10) saw them faced with the sinister killing of an elderly woman, whose body had been out in the elements for a number of days.

What will happen in Shetland series 11?

The new series will once again see the return of Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder and Alison O'Donnell as DI 'Tosh' McIntosh. The fresh batch of episodes will centre around an historic murder that will forever change the lives of all those connected to it in the present day.

It all starts when a car is pulled from the water and a grim discovery is made - crammed in the boot are the decomposed remains of an unknown man. The team rapidly begin their search to uncover the identity of the victim, beginning with a hunt for the vehicle’s owner - a respected, local GP who left the Isles under a cloud of rumours nine years ago.

The BBC’s official synopsis continues: “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.”

Gaynor Holmes, Commissioning Editor for the BBC, says of the new instalment: “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.”

Kate Bartlett, Executive Producer for Silverprint Pictures, added: “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.”

Who’s starring in Shetland series 11?

Shetland series 11 will see the return of the following cast regulars:

• Ashley Jensen (Agatha Raisin) as DI Ruth Calder
• Alison O'Donnell (Pet Sematary) as DI 'Tosh' McIntosh
• Steven Robertson (True North) as DC Sandy Wilson)
• Lewis Howden (Rebus) as Billy McCabe
• Samuel Anderson (Amandaland) as Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake
• Steven Miller (Casualty) as Rev Alan Calder
• Anne Kidd (Vigil) as pathologist Cora McLean
• Angus Miller (Dept. Q) as Donnie, Tosh’s partner
• Conor McCarry (The Loch) as PC Alex Grant
• Eubha Akilade (The Diplomat) as PC Lorna Burns

They will be joined by a number of fresh faces, including:

• Stella Gonet (The Crown)
• Christine Bottomley (Sherwood)
• Kevin Harvey (This City is Ours)
• Gregor Fisher (Only Child)
• Gavin Mitchell (Crime)
• John Wark (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth)
• Jude Bain (Let It Come Down)
• Robin Weaver (Rivals)
• John McLarnon (I Swear)
• Beth Marshall (The Bombing of Pan Am 103)
• Daniel Boyd (House of the Dragon)
• Charlene Boyd (Dept. Q)
• Helen Mackay

What do the new cast members mean for Shetland series 11?

Series 11 is bringing with it what might just be the series’ biggest – and most impressive - cast expansion yet which, for starters, is a sure sign the BBC is as invested as ever in the series and that it won’t be leaving our screens any time soon. We know that series 11 will be more emotional than previous series, which is likely owed to impact the central case will have on the lives of all those connected to it – and while we don’t know exactly what role the likes of The Crown’s Stella Gonet and Sherwood’s Christine Bottomley will have in it, we think it’s pretty unlikely they’d have been brought in for bit parts.

Is Shetland any good?

Yes – it’s not often a series is going strong after 10 series but Shetland has acquired such a loyal audience that it would be almost impossible to stop now. The 10^th series was in the top five most watched BBC Drama series of 2025 and, in Scotland, it remained the number one BBC drama with audiences. If you fancy watching something that features gorgeous landscapes, gripping crimes and outstanding lead performances, we’d highly recommend giving Shetland a go.

How can I watch Shetland series 11?

Good news – the BBC has confirmed that Shetland series 11 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday 12th November at 9pm. In the meantime, you can catch on up on Shetland series 1-10 on BBC iPlayer.

Will Shetland return for a 12th series?

Yes, Shetland has been commissioned for a 12th series and filming is currently underway across Scotland and the Shetland Isles.