Shetland Series 11: Everything We Know So Far

Everyone loves a cosy crime drama, and no one does tartan noir – that’s crime set in Scotland – quite like Shetland. Set on the northerly Scottish archipelago and based on Ann Cleeves’ novels, audiences fell in love with DI Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall) when the show debuted back in 2013. He passed the baton to his sidekick DI Tosh (Alison O’Donnell) from series 8 onwards and, joined by her new policing partner DI Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen), this new era of Shetland has been no less gripping, with the duo leading investigations into the archipelago’s shadiest crimes.

Running for a whopping 10 seasons to date, it makes perfect sense, then, that Shetland is all set to return for an eleventh instalment on the BBC later this year. But what will happen, and when will we get to see it? Here’s everything we know so far.

Filming is underway on Shetland series 11. (BBC/Silverprint Films)

Shetland Series 11: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

According to the BBC, filming on Shetland series 11 is officially underway, with Jensen and O’Donnell reprising their roles as DI Ruth Calder and DI Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh for another instalment. Originally based on Ann Cleeves’ novels, like recent installments, series 11 won’t be based on one novel in particular but instead expands the world of the author’s characters.

Ruth Calder (ASHLEY JENSEN) in Shetland. (BBC/Silverprint Films)

What Will Happen?

At the centre of Shetland series 11 is a historic murder – and its impact will reverberate right through to the present day. It all starts with a dilapidated car pulled from the water. Inside, the cops make a grim discovery: the decomposed, skeletal remains of an unknown man have been crammed into the boot.

Tosh and Calder begin their investigation, fighting to discover exactly who the victim was, and how he ended up there. But first: whose car is this? The answer leads them to a local GP, who left the Shetland Isles under a cloud of troubled rumours almost a decade ago. With our duo delving into his enigmatic state of mind, they connect with the loved ones he left behind and find themselves pulled into the dark and dangerous territory the GP himself fled from.

BBC insiders tease Shetland series 11 ‘is brimming with twists, turns, and the kind of emotional punch that keeps viewers hooked’. It’s all penned by Paul Logue, who penned his first episode of Shetland back in series 4 (2018). Logue has been the lead writer since series 8 (2023), and is joined by Anita Vettesse and Ross Dunsmore in the series 11 writers’ room.

Shetland is one of the BBC’s most popular original dramas – the broadcaster’s fifth most-watched original series last year, and the most-watched BBC drama in Scotland. Debuting in 2013, it was the first in a slew of new dramas set and filmed in the United Kingdom’s northernmost nation, with hit series like Vigil, Granite Harbour and Rebus all turning their attention to Scotland. There is a slate of high profile Scottish dramas in the pipeline, too, from Richard Gadd’s Half Man to upcoming legal drama Counsels.

Matt Blake (SAMUEL ANDERSON) in Shetland. (BBC/Silverprint Films)

The Cast

As Calder and Tosh delve into the latest crime across the Shetland archipelago, we can expect a slew of new guest stars, from perpetrators to victims. This includes:

• Christine Bottomley
• Kevin Harvey
• Stella Gonet
• Gregor Fisher
• Gavin Mitchell
• John Wark
• Jude Bain
• Robin Weaver
• John McLarnon
• Beth Marshall
• Daniel Boyd
• Charlene Boyd
• Helen Mackay

…But no news just yet on the roles they will play.

When it comes to day-to-day business, a handful of familiar faces will join Calder and Tosh, including Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, Lewis Howden as Billy McCabe, Samuel Anderson as Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake, Steven Miller as Rev Alan Calder, Anne Kidd as pathologist Cora McLean, Conor McCarry as PC Alex Grant, Eubha Akilade as PC Lorna Burns, and Angus Miller as Donnie, Tosh’s partner.

Behind the scenes on Shetland series 10. (BBC/Silverprint Films/Jamie Simpson)

Where Is It Filmed?

Shetland is filmed on location on the Scottish archipelago of Shetland, as well as in Glasgow. Specific locations can vary depending on the crime Tosh and Calder are investigating. In series 10, that included the fictional, tight-knit community of Lunniswick. You can read all about that here.

DI ‘Tosh’ McIntosh (ALISON O’DONNELL) in Shetland. (BBC/Silverprint Films/Jamie Simpson)

Release Date

The BBC has confirmed we can expect to see Shetland series 11 ‘later this year’. In line with previous years, we expect it to air on BBC One and iPlayer from November 2026.

Series 11 will be made up of six episodes.

All 10 series of Shetland are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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