Shetland (TV series)

Shetland is a British crime drama television series produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland and first broadcast on BBC One in 2013.

Shetland is a British crime drama television series produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland and first broadcast on BBC One in 2013. It is based on the novels of Ann Cleeves and was adapted for television by David Kane. The series initially starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez and later introduced Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder.

Premise

The series centres on murder investigations and other crimes in the Shetland Islands, with the remote setting playing a major role in the storytelling. Its cases often involve local relationships, secrets, and long-buried tensions. The series is set in and around the Shetland Islands in Scotland and follows police investigations in a close-knit island community.

Production and broadcast

Shetland is produced by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland and was first shown on BBC One in March 2013. It has remained a BBC crime drama and has been released in multiple series over time. The series has continued into at least its tenth series, which began airing in November 2025. A further series has been commissioned according to the Shetland tourism site.

Cast and characters

Douglas Henshall led the series as Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez for the first seven series. From series eight, Ashley Jensen took over as DI Ruth Calder, alongside Alison O'Donnell as DI Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh.

Source material

The television series is based on the crime novels of Ann Cleeves. The books and television adaptation share the Shetland setting and a focus on police work in a remote island community.