Shetland star pays tribute to Jimmy Perez’s ‘amazing’ replacement

Filming for series eight of Shetland is underway and while the BBC hasn’t confirmed when it will be broadcast, actress Lorraine McIntosh teased This Morning fans with a return date.

Lorraine spoke with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary on Friday’s This Morning about Deacon Blue’s return, but talk quickly shifted to Shetland.

Alison admitted she didn’t realise Lorraine was also an actress before Dermot quizzed their guest on his favourite TV show, Shetland.

Paying tribute to Douglas Henshall’s replacement, Ashley Jensen, Lorraine began: “I’m so excited about it because it’s got the wonderful Ashley Jensen taking over as the lead and it’s got a brilliant cast of amazing women.

“Phyllis Logan, Dawn Steele, some good guys as well, but mainly brilliant women.

“And it’s honestly such a pleasure and I was up there filming and Shetland is beautiful, you’ll have to go.”

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“When is it coming out?” Dermot asked as Lorraine replied: “End of the year I think.”

Last year, Shetland fans were left gutted when Douglas Henshall confirmed he was leaving his role as Detective Jimmy Perez.

However, BBC bosses soon announced Ashley Jensen would be taking over as DI Ruth Calder.

Filming in Scotland is well underway as Ashley has been pictured filming with Alison O’Donnell, who will play her sidekick, Tosh in the BBC series.

There will also be a host of famous faces making guest appearances including the likes of Jamie Sives, Don Gilet, and Ann Louise Ross.

The guest cast will also be welcomed by the regular stars of Shetland, Steven Robertson, who plays DC Sandy Wilson, Lewis Howden as Sgt Billy McCabe, and Anne Kidd, who plays Cora McLean.

Angus Miller will also be back to play Donnie, Conor McCarry as PC Alex Grant, and finally, Eubha Akilade, who plays PC Lorna Burns.

The new series sees Met Police Detective Inspector Ruth Calder return to her native Shetland to retrieve a vulnerable witness to a gangland murder.

Tosh must pause her investigation into a string of mysterious animal deaths to help DI Calder find the witness before it’s too late.

However, the new detective’s hostility to Shetland will challenge Tosh’s view of her adopted home and their journey into the darker recesses of Shetland’s past and present.

When Douglas confirmed he was leaving the show, Ashley also admitted she “had big shoes to fill”.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Shetland as DI Ruth Calder,” the actress said at the time.

“It’s such a hugely successful show and I am aware I have very big boots to fill since the departure of DI Perez, who was very much loved by fans of the show.”

Shetland is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.