‘Shetland’s Season 11 Trailer Kicks Off Tosh’s Long Goodbye
Shetland Season 11 is expected to debut on BritBox around the turn of the new year.
Since the BBC announced that Shetland Season 11 would be lead actor Alison O’Donnell’s last, fans have been desperate for more information about what will happen to her character, DI Tosh. It’s not just that the forthcoming season has openly said the new arc is about catching a serial killer, or that DI Tosh might be leaving the show feet first. It’s that, after over a decade on the air, O’Donnell has remained the show’s main point of continuity. She’s not the only actor who has been on the show since it debuted, but she is the highest-profile of the three series stalwarts who have remained on the roster even as the series swapped top-line after Season 7, from original star Douglas Henshall (Murder Is Easy) as DI Jimmy Pérez to current lead Ashley Jensen as DI Ruth Calder.
While a small group of vocal fans acted like Henshall’s exit ended the show, the casting turnover actually raised the series’ profile, and the more recent seasons have only grown in the ratings. While DI Tosh’s last episodes will almost certainly attract a lot of fans to see her off this season, it also means Season 12 will be an adjustment year as whoever replaces Tosh as Calder’s new assistant learns to mesh with the rest of the ensemble.
O’Donnell’s final case on the series centers on a historic murder that will forever change the lives of those connected to it today. As hidden secrets rise from a watery grave, the ripple effects extend beyond the community.
Here is the full BBC synopsis:
The team makes a grim discovery when a car is dredged from the water and skeletal remains of an unknown male are found in the boot. The car belongs to Dr Raymond Linden, a respected local GP who fled the isles 9 years ago. An investigation unfolds to track down Dr Linden and uncover the victim’s identity.
Tosh and Calder meet Linden’s formidable mother Martha and brother Eric. Martha is convinced that something terrible happened to Raymond, forcing him to leave. But Eric isn’t as convinced. In contrast, Linden’s ex-wife, Emily, gives a very different account of her missing husband. Calder and Tosh learn that the doctor was troubled and, in turn, made her and their son Jonah’s life a living hell.
Elsewhere, Sandy meets Donald Pierce, a lonely and overzealous old man, who finds himself unwittingly embroiled in the investigation. As Calder and Tosh dig deeper to identify the victim in the car, they must delve into Raymond Linden’s state of mind and the lives of the loved ones he left behind. The investigation takes them to unexpectedly 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) as DC Sandy Wilson; Lewis Howden (Annika) as former Sgt. Billy McCabe; Eubha Akilade (The Diplomat) as PC Lorna Burns; Conor McCarry (Time) as PC Alex Grant; and Anne Kidd (Victoria) as Dr. Cora McLean. The supporting cast includes Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who) as Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake; Steven Miller (Dept. Q) as Rev Alan Calder; and Angus Miller (The Gold) as Tosh’s partner, Donnie Russell.
The new season also features guest stars Stella Gonet (The Crown) as Martha; John Wark (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth) as Eric; Christine Bottomley (Sherwood) as Emily; Gregor Fisher (The ABC Murders) as Donald; and Jude Bain (Let It Come Down) as Jonah.
(BBC)
Other guest star turns include Kevin Harvey (This City Is Ours), Gavin Mitchell (Crime), 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), and Helen Mackay (DCI Banks).
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 debuts on the BBC and on BBC iPlayer on Tuesday, November 12, 2026. The new season is expected to debut on BritBox around late 2026 or in early 2027.
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