It’s finally time to catch up with DI Jimmy Perez.
Shetland season 7 arrives on our screens on Wednesday night (10th August 2022), with a fresh case for our lead detective and his trusty team to solve.
Alongside Jimmy, Tosh and Sandy, there are plenty of other familiar faces to welcome us back, plus a slew of guest stars across the six shiny new episodes, which revolve around a Shetland resident who has gone missing.
Here’s a full rundown of the Shetland cast and who they’re playing.
Shetland cast: Douglas Henshall and new season 7 characters
Douglas Henshall plays DI Jimmy Perez
Who is DI Jimmy Perez? Jimmy moved back to Shetland following the death of his wife Fran and raised his stepdaughter Cassie alone. Ten years later, he is still single (although he has feelings for Meg) and Cassie has grown up and moved away. A kind and empathetic man, he is always looking for the best in people – despite Shetland’s surprisingly high murder rate, which has made him increasingly disillusioned.
“He’s a kind man who is also a widower struggling to bring up his daughter,” says actor Douglas Henshall. “He’s lonely. There’s a lot that people empathise with”.
At the end of season 6, he was arrested for his involvement in the death of Donna Killick. Season 7 is Henshall’s final outing as Jimmy.
What else has Douglas Henshall been in? As well as the lead role in Shetland – which he’s played since the show began in 2013 – Douglas Henshall is also known as Professor Nick Cutter in Primeval, Sergeant William Muncie in true crime drama In Plain Sight, DCS Hepburn in Black Work, and Taran MacQuarrie in Outlander.
Alison O’Donnell plays DS Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh
Who is DS Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh? Young, smart and ambitious, Tosh is utterly dedicated to her job and has a close relationship with boss Jimmy. The character was the victim of a rape attack a few years ago and the series has charted her recovery from the trauma of her ordeal. At the end of season 6, she learned that she was pregnant.
What else has Alison O’Donnell been in? Shetland is Alison O’Donnell’s most sizeable TV role to date. Before playing Tosh, she was better known for her work on stage, treading the boards in Boys, The Hard Man and Lorca’s Yerma.
Steven Robertson plays DC Sandy Wilson
Who is DC Sandy Wilson? Sandy is a dedicated detective with a strong sense of right and wrong, but in season 6, his feelings for Kate Kilmuir occasionally clouded his judgement and got him into trouble. His knowledge of the local area and community makes him a key member of the team.
What else has Steven Robertson been in? The Scottish actor, who was actually born in Lerwick on the Shetland Islands, has appeared in period drama Harlots, Doctor Who, Being Human and more. He also starred in a radio adaptation of Shetland, playing DI Jimmy Perez himself.
Mark Bonnar plays Duncan Hunter
Who is Duncan Hunter? The birth father of Jimmy’s step-daughter Cassie. There was tension between him and Jimmy in the past as the two co-parented Cassie following the death of her mother Fran, but they have developed a complex friendship. Duncan was arrested at the end of season 6 after turning himself in for his role in Donna’s death.
What else has Mark Bonnar been in? His credits include Line of Duty, Porridge, Unforgotten, New Blood, Catastrophe, Guilt and Humans.
Lucianne McEvoy plays Meg Pattison
Who is Meg Pattison? An end-of-life nurse and carer who worked for Donna. She’s also grown closer to Jimmy after helping take care of his elderly father on several occasions. Will the pair finally make a go of it in season 7?
Where have I seen Lucianne McEvoy before? The actor is known for the likes of NY-LON and Unprecedented.
Lewis Howden plays Sergeant Billy McCabe
Who is Sergeant Billy McCabe? A reliable and experienced member of Perez’s team.
What else has Lewis Howden been in? Although he is better known for his stage work, Lewis Howden has a collection of TV credits including Hope Springs, Taggart and Monarch of the Glen.
Conor McCarry plays PC Alex Grant
Who is PC Alex Grant? A member of the team at Shetland police.
What else has Conor McCarry been in? He starred as Dessie Toner in ITV drama The Loch, and has also made appearances in Outlander (as Young Jamie) and BBC dramas The Night Manager and Rillington Place.
Angus Miller plays Donnie
Who is Donnie? Tosh’s partner and father to her child.
What else has Angus Miller been in? A relative newcomer to our screens, Angus Miller appeared in the TV series Teacup Travels. He is more often seen on stage in Scotland (Let The Right One In, Trainspotting, The Belle’s Stratagem).
Anneika Rose plays Maggie Kean
Who is Maggie Kean? She is the procurator fiscal who requested that Jimmy be investigated over the death of Donna Killick.
Where have I seen Anneika Rose before? She played PS Farida Jatri in Line of Duty. She has also appeared in Channel 4 drama Deadwater Fell and Ackley Bridge, which also airs on Channel 4.
