Shetland’s Alison O’Donnell reveals why she cried after watching first episode following Douglas Henshall’s exit

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It’s been more than three years since Douglas Henshall last played DI Jimmy Perez in Shetland. His departure marked the start of a new chapter for the show, now led by Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder, with Alison O’Donnell returning as ‘Tosh’.

Although the recent return of the BBC crime drama was generally praised by both critics and viewers, the initial announcement came before anyone knew if it would be successful.

I was worried when I heard they were planning a reboot. I thought, ‘This show has a history, and what if the new version just doesn’t live up to it?’

But her panic quickly dissipated when she watched the season 8 premiere.

I’ll never forget watching the first episode air. My kids were awake, so I went to watch it privately, and I actually ended up crying. I sat alone and wept – it was a huge relief, but also I was incredibly proud of how good it was. It exceeded all of our expectations.

I expected some people to disagree, and honestly, there wasn’t nearly as much opposition as I thought there might be.

But had there been pushback, Jensen said it would have been “perfectly natural”.

She explained that after seven years of playing the character, you naturally become very attached. Losing that role, she said, feels like having something suddenly taken away, and it’s understandable that fans would struggle with a replacement. She also acknowledged that it’s normal for some viewers to dislike the new actor, but that’s to be expected.

But thankfully, she now has the official seal of approval.

I really appreciate it when someone, even a stranger who’s had a few drinks at a pub in Scotland, tells me they changed their mind and now like me.

“I’ll take that.”

I was really interested to hear Jensen talk about how smoothly the show transitioned from Perez to Calder. She gave a lot of credit to the writers, saying they did an amazing job of keeping what made the show special while also bringing in the new DI. It’s good to know they were so careful with that change!

The actress explained that her character, Calder, had one main goal throughout the first season: to escape. Unlike a character who forcefully takes charge, Calder wasn’t trying to make a grand entrance or assert dominance. This approach was intentional; it drew the audience in gradually and created more intrigue. They weren’t immediately sure who she was or what her intentions were, and that made her more compelling.

Honestly, I loved that the show didn’t lose what made it great, but it also really gave my character, Tosh, a chance to shine. I think the audience was really hoping to learn more about him, and I feel like bringing me in was a really smart way to do that. It felt like exactly what everyone wanted!

O’Donnell agreed, explaining that the show offered something for everyone. Viewers who supported Perez could continue to follow that storyline, while also being introduced to the new character and her initial reluctance. The show didn’t force viewers to choose sides, but rather allowed them to explore both perspectives naturally.

“But then, just by sleight of hand, you made your way into the thing it was. It was really clever.”

The tenth season of the show begins with Calder and Tosh investigating the unsettling murder of an older woman in a secluded village, according to the official description.

Eadie Tulloch, a retired social worker, had been missing for several days. Detectives Calder and Tosh believe the people who lived near her aren’t telling them everything about their connections to her, and they start to uncover a complex network of secrets and dishonesty.

To make matters even more difficult, Sergeant Billy McCabe has a personal connection to the case, which will severely challenge his loyalties.

The tenth season of Shetland began airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Wednesday, November 5th. You can now stream the first nine seasons on iPlayer. The Shetland novels by Ann Cleeves are also available for purchase.

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2025-11-12 17:35