Shetland series 9 cast list: Who plays who in the returning Scottish detective drama?
By Helen Fear |Shetland is back on BBC One and iPlayer with series 9 and, like previous years, the new episodes have a pretty amazing cast of faces old and new.
Ashley Jensen returns as DI Ruth Calder, who joined the cast at the beginning of Shetland series 8. The Scottish actress replaced Douglas Henshall as Jimmy Perez.
Fan favourite Alison O'Donnell is also back as Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh and, this time, she's finally been promoted to Detective Inspector!
Here's a rundown of the cast of Shetland series 9, including new faces from Poldark, Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, and Granite Harbour...
Shetland series 9 cast list: Ashley Jensen plays DI Ruth Calder
Scottish actress Ashley Jensen plays former Met police officer DI Ruth Calder. In series 8, she arrived on the island of Shetland in a bid to track down a vulnerable witness.
Viewers soon learnt that icy Ruth was born on the island, but hadn't been back since she was 18. After a pretty explosive return, she is living in Shetland at the beginning of series 9.
Ashley is probably best known for her collaborations with comedian Ricky Gervais. She appeared briefly in The Office, and went on to portray Maggie Jacobs in Extras, and nurse Emma in After Life.
Her career as a jobbing actress began in 1990, and she's appeared in countless TV dramas, including May to December, Roughnecks, and Bad Boys. She played PC Sue Chappell in City Central from 1998 to 2000. That same year, she popped up as Fiona Morris in EastEnders!
Other notable roles include her portrayal of Babs in Clocking Off, Faye Brooks in Sweet Medicine, and Sarah Paradise in Love & Paradise.
After finding success in the UK, Ashley won the coveted role of Christina McKinney in US hit comedy Ugly Betty, opposite Barbie actress America Ferrera. She starred in the show from 2006 to 2010. She subsequently appeared in Catastophe, Trust Me, and the heartbreaking book adaptation Mayflies.
Cosy drama fans will know the 55-year-old as the titular heroine in Agatha Raisin, a role she played from 2014 to 2022.
Alison O'Donnell plays DI Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh
Motherwell-born actress Alison O'Donnell joined Shetland in 2013, and it remains her only other significant TV role.
In 2019, she had a small role in the horror film Pet Sematary, based on the Stephen King novel. She's also popped up in one episode of TV series Feel the Force, and Holby City.
Alison's partner is Scottish playwright D.C. Jackson, with whom she has two children. The sixth series of the popular police drama was filmed soon after the arrival of her second child.
Shetland series 9 cast list: Steven Robertson plays DC Sandy Wilson
Actor Steven Robertson returns as DC Sandy Wilson in the ninth series of Shetland. The actor, 47, was born and bred in the Shetland Islands and has been acting since he was a teenager.
He portrayed Cuthbert Clare in the 2008 adaptation of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and Crowley in 2012's Bletchley Circle. Steven played Dominic Rook in Being Human, Terrence in Utopia, Robert Oswald in Harlots, and Pritchard in Doctor Who.
In 2022, he starred as Mark Bradwell in The Bay.
Anne Kidd plays Cora McLean
Actress Anne Kidd plays Cora McLean, the one-woman forensic team who works alongside the Shetland police force. She has had a long career across TV and film which started in 1967!
In 1979, she starred in the film The Legend of King Arthur as Igrayne. Anne has also had small roles in Outlander, One of Us, Doctors and Victoria.
She's popped up in Coronation Street, Taggart, Monarch of the Glen, and Doctors.
Shetland series 9 cast list: Ian Hart plays Professor Rossi
Ian Hart will be playing suspect Professor Rossi. Of course, Harry Potter fans will know the actor as Professor Quirrell, but his recent TV roles include Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, The Mosquito Coast, and The Responder.
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Vincent Regan stars as John Harris
House of the Dragon's Vincent Regan is John Harris, while Granite Harbour stars Ross Anderson and Macleod Stephen are Patrick Harris and Fergus Harris.
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Shetland series 8 cast: Angus Miller plays Donnie
Actor Angus Miller plays Donnie, Tosh’s partner and the father of her child. Although he’s so-far missing in the early part of Shetland series 8!
His best-known role before Shetland was on CBeebies Teacup Travels, so a lot of parents might recognise him. Angus also had a guest role on BBC series Guilt last year, opposite former Shetland actor Mark Bonnar.
More recently, he appeared in the 2023 BBC series The Gold as Shuggie, and played Carl in the short film Natural Causes.
Steven Miller as Reverend Alan Calder
Scottish actor Steven Miller portrays DI Ruth Calder’s estranged brother Rev Alan Calder in Shetland series 8. Casualty fans will recognise him as Lenny Lyons, a role he played from 2009 to 2016.
His first TV role was as Young Scrooge in the TV movie A Christmas Carol: The Musical in 2004. He’s also popped up in The Bill, Holby City, Coming Up, Father Brown, and Silent Witness.
In 2019, he portrayed Andy Jarvis in Traces, and more recently he played a young Lenny in The Walk-In. Steven is currently portraying DS Rob Livingston in ITV’s rival crime drama Payback!
Who else is in the cast of Shetland series 7?
Most of the regular cast returns to Shetland. Taggart actor Lewis Howden plays Sergeant Billy McCabe, a reliable and experienced member of the team.
Conor McCarry plays PC Alex Grant, who made his first appearance in series five. Some eagle-eyed viewers might have spotted Conor in the latest series of Time reunited with former Shetland star Julie Graham. He played Julie’s estranged son Stephen Harkness. Conor has also portrayed Dessie Toner in The Loch.
Meanwhile, Eubha Akilade stars as Lorna Burns, while newcomer Maisie Norma Seaton portrayed Ellen Quinn in her first ever TV acting role. Lithuanian actor Arnas Fedaravičius, known for The Last Kingdom, plays Lukas Nowak.
Dublin Murders actor Barry O’Connor stars as Kieran Quinn, Good Omens child actor Jakub Bednarczyk plays Rory Quinn, and Scottish singer and actress Lorraine McIntosh plays Heather Bain.
Hanna’s Russ Bain portrays Bobby Bain (not a typo, they really do have the same name!), while River City’s Neil Pendleton plays Neil Bain. Gemma Laurie, who recently played Wilma McCann in The Long Shadow, stars as Rosemary Strachan.
Hollyoaks actor Karl Collins stars as Thomas Coombes. Soap fans will know he played Louis Loveday from 2015 to 2018. Also, Tibu Fortes – DS Malik in Emmerdale – joins the cast as Harry Lamont. He replacing previous cast members Julie Graham and Anneika Rose.
Kevin Mackenzie is James Innes, Natasha Cottriall plays Kirsty Bell, Joseph Thompson stars as Philip Remis, Joe Bolland is Jack Hurley, and Ian Dunnett Jnr stars as Liam Kenmuir.
Who else is in the cast of Shetland series 9?
Joining Ashley Jensen and Alison O'Connell in the cast are Outlander actress Sarah MacGillivray as Annie, and newcomer Jacob Ferguson as her son Noah (in his first ever TV role).
Meanwhile, Annika actor Robert Jack plays Ian Bett.
Other cast members include Lewis Howden, Anne Kidd, Angus Miller, Steven Miller, Leeroy Boone, Conor McCarry, Eubha Akilade, Stuart Campbell, Nalini Chetty, Richard Thomson, Tibu Fortes, Andrew John Tait, Tara Lee, Jimmy Yuill, Lesley Hart and Gemma McElhinney.
PC Lorna Burns (EUBHA AKILADE);DI ‘Tosh’ McIntosh (ALISON O’DONNELL);PC Alex Grant (CONOR McCARRY);Hector Fulton (HARRY WARD)
Angus Wallace (JIMMY YUILL)
Lisa Friel (TARA LEE);Angus Wallace (JIMMY YUILL)
Patrick Harris (ROSS ANDERSON);John Harris (VINCENT REGAN);Fergus Harris (MACLEOD STEPHEN)
Hector Fulton (HARRY WARD);DI Ruth Calder (ASHLEY JENSEN)
PC Alex Grant (CONOR McCARRY)
Ian Bett (ROBERT JACK)
Rev Alan Calder (STEPHEN MILLER)
Donnie (ANGUS MILLER);Joni Connal (GEMMA McELHINNEY)
Tara Kirk (NALINI CHETTY)
Noah Bett (JACOB);Annie Bett (SARAH MacGILLIVRAY)
DI ‘Tosh’ McIntosh (ALISON O’DONNELL);Annie Bett (SARAH MacGILLIVRAY);Frank Kirk (RICHARD THOMSON);Tara Kirk (NALINI CHETTY)
Lisa Friel (TARA LEE)
Karin Jakobsen (NATHALIE MERCHANT);Astrid Jackson (INES ASSERSON);Stefan Jakobson (JOHANNES LASSEN)
PC Lorna Burns (EUBHA AKILADE)
