Alison O’Donnell to Exit ‘Shetland’ After Season 11
'Shetland' Season 11 will see the exit of DI Tosh, as Alison O’Donnell exits the series.
Shetland has already survived one of the two hardest transitions a long-running series can face – having the lead detective exit, and introducing a new actor to headline the series. Now it’s about to undergo the other one: having the secondary lead – and the show’s main point of continuity – head out to star in other shows.
As DS “Tosh” McIntosh, Alison O’Donnell has been the “partner in crime solving” to two leads since being cast back in the show’s first season, first to DI Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall) for the show’s first seven seasons, and then DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) since Season 8. Along the way, her character has gone from an innocent newbie to Detective Inspector, and helped smooth the transition from a series that focused on the book’s main lead, Perez, to an ensemble, woman-led show. However, after starring in the series for over a decade, O’Donnell has decided it’s time to spread her wings.
“Alison has been a pleasure to work with and has truly brought the character of Tosh to life over the years,” said BBC Drama executive Gaynor Holmes. “Her warmth shines through on screen, and we will ensure Tosh is given the fitting farewell she deserves. We are enormously grateful to Alison for everything she has brought to Shetland and can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”
As part of the press release announcement, O’Donnell said, “Playing Tosh has been the greatest gift an actor could hope for.”
“To be able to stay with the character, to allow her to grow in depth and maturity, and to be consistently rewarded and challenged by the writing and stories, has been such a rich and special experience. And to have had the support and loyalty of our wonderful audience has meant so much. I feel so incredibly lucky to have worked with so many hugely talented people both on and off screen. I grew up in this job. It has shaped me as an actor and as a collaborator. It’s in my bones and in my heart. As are the isles themselves, which have become like a second home to me and to my family. It’s not going to be easy to leave it all behind, but I am excited for the future, for new adventures, and to take everything I have learned and loved in Shetland forward with me, to whatever may come next.”
Here’s the plot for Season 11’s main arc:
Originally based on award-winning novels by crime writer Ann Cleeves, the forthcoming new series centres around an historic murder which will forever change the lives of all those connected in the present day. When a car is pulled from the water, a grim discovery is made - crammed in the boot are the decomposed, skeletal remains of an unknown male. The team’s search to uncover the victim’s identity, begins with a hunt for the vehicle’s owner– a respected, local GP who left the Isles under a cloud of troubled rumours nine years ago. 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.
O’Donnell will be joined in her last season by Jensen (Agatha Raisin), Steven Robertson (The Bay), Lewis Howden (Annika), Eubha Akilade (The Diplomat), Conor McCarry (Time), and Anne Kidd (Victoria). The supporting cast includes Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who), Steven Miller (Dept. Q), and Angus Miller (The Gold).
The new season also features guest stars Christine Bottomley (Sherwood), Kevin Harvey (This City Is Ours), Stella Gonet (The Crown), Gregor Fisher (The ABC Murders), Gavin Mitchell (Crime), John Wark (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth), Robin Weaver (Rivals), John McLarnon (Outlander: Blood of my Blood), Beth Marshall (The Bombing of Pan Am 103), Daniel Boyd (House of the Dragon), Charlene Boyd (Mayflies), Helen Mackay (DCI Banks), and Jude Bain (Let It Come Down).
Paul Logue returns as lead writer for Season 11, penning episodes along with Anita Vettesse and Ross Dunsmore. Directors Ruth Carney and Jonny Blair split helming duties with Angus Sharpe producing. Logue is an executive producer, along with Denise Paul, Gaynor Holmes, and Kate Bartlett.
Shetland Season 11 is currently filming in Scotland and is expected to premiere on the BBC at the end of 2026 and sometime around the start of 2027 on BritBox.
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