Ashley Jensen and Alison O鈥橠onnell return for a new series of the acclaimed murder-mystery drama, Shetland. A double missing persons case blurs the line between the personal and the professional, as Calder and Tosh are drawn into a labyrinthine investigation.
When Tosh鈥檚 friend, Annie Bett, goes missing she suspects something is seriously wrong. Ruth Calder - now living in Shetland - has no time to recover from a life-threatening ordeal of her own, as together they set out in search of Annie and her young son, Noah.
They discover that accountant Annie is estranged from her husband, Ian, and has been staying with mussel farmer John Harris and his two sons, Patrick and Fergus. Worryingly, there鈥檚 no sign of Annie there either.
Calder follows Tosh鈥檚 instincts and looks for Annie at the home she shared with Ian. There, they discover Professor Euan Rossi, who claims to have been Annie鈥檚 Oxford University tutor many years ago.
Suspicions are stirred when Tosh and Calder learn Rossi travelled all the way to Shetland after Annie left him a distressed voicemail the night she vanished. Calder can鈥檛 shake the feeling there鈥檚 more to Rossi than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, at the station, Calder delves deeper into another case involving a deadly argument between two brothers.
The missing persons investigation draws Tosh and Calder into a web of lies and when a bloodied person turns up at a remote garage, nothing can prepare the team for what lies ahead.
Shetland will return with a brand-new series on Wednesday 6 November on 成人快手 iPlayer and 成人快手 One.
HC2
Interview with Ashley Jensen
DI Ruth Calder
Having left her London life behind, Calder is beginning to settle into her new life in Shetland. Realising she no longer wanted a future in London, Calder was happy to stay in Scotland not least because she enjoyed working with the team in Lerwick. Turns out, Shetland isn鈥檛 so bad after all. Calder has been warmly welcomed by Tosh, who was more than happy to have another DI in the station, especially one with Calder's experience. The two know that they complement each other's styles and the force is stronger having them work together.
In this new series of Shetland we see Calder finally putting down roots. Why has she decided to return to Shetland for good?
Calder鈥檚 decided to return to Shetland because it almost felt like there was unfinished business there, or a sort of magnetic draw back home. She's there to find out who she is which, I think, goes against all her previous instincts.
When she first came back during the last series, she thought that she鈥檇 be there to solve the case and then get away and get back to London, back to her life. But she鈥檚 experiencing that thing where home sometimes draws you back.
What strengths does she bring to the team and what is her relationship with Tosh like this time around?
She's very instinctive and she doesn't waste time. I think that in a situation when things are very time sensitive, particularly in a murder case, you have to make these decisions very quickly and Calder has a wealth of experience from having worked at the Met for 25 years.
There's very little that shocks her. She's a DI and she's done very well, so she trusts her instincts, which are often right 鈥� but not always 鈥� but at least she makes a decision and I think that complements Tosh, who is, as you know, much more of an empath.
Tosh is kind of the feeling one in the relationship. There鈥檚 a sort of good cop, bad cop dynamic where Calder tends to not get emotionally involved and sees a very practical puzzle that needs to be solved. So, I think that they both bring their own strengths to a case.
What is the storyline for the new series of Shetland?
There are many threads to the new series of Shetland. We jump back and forth in time - there's a historical case, domestic relationships鈥here are so many different strands to the story and quite a lot of them are linked. It's a very complex web this series.
In fact, I decided that I wasn't going to find out who the murderer was. So, for the first three episodes I felt like I was really in Calder鈥檚 shoes. I was looking at people through the character's eyes thinking, 鈥淲hat are you giving me?鈥�. Then I would leave a scene and quickly look back around again, just to see if somebody was doing something they shouldn't have been behind the coppers鈥� backs after we'd gone!
It added another element of fun for me. When I was playing the part, I wanted to be really present in every scene, to make myself look and listen to what people were saying, to see if I could solve the puzzle and ultimately, the crime.
Tosh is torn between the professional and personal, how does Calder help her deal with this conflict?
Tosh has an emotional pull towards this particular case which compromises her a little bit. She's trying to be very professional about it but I think that Calder can see that she might be being pulled in all directions. With this she [Calder] has said 鈥測ou've got to trust your own instincts and believe in yourself鈥� and I think she kind of bolsters Tosh a little bit.
Part of Calder's frustration with Tosh in the past was that she didn't believe in herself but, this year, in Calder鈥檚 own way, she has given Tosh the confidence to believe in her own decisions.
This series welcomes another great guest cast鈥hat was it like having them on set?
Every series it's always a joy when you see the guest actors that that come to join us. When they come onto this show in particular, they are genuinely excited because they're getting to come to Shetland, they鈥檙e getting the full Shetland experience.
There's very much a feeling of bonding and camaraderie because we're all away from home. We're all in the same boat, it's like being in regional theatre in the 1950s or something - we're all together at the weekends because we can't get back home. You鈥檙e genuinely not allowed off the isles in case the weather turns and you can't get back which would obviously mess up filming. So there's genuinely a feeling of all being in it together.
Having somebody like Ian Hart, who's got a body of work that I respect so much, and the brilliant Vince Regan, was such a privilege, it was lovely to be working with them and I hope that they had as much fun on set as we did working with them.
From the off, Calder doesn鈥檛 trust Ian Hart鈥檚 character Professor Euan Rossi鈥hat is it about him that makes her suspicious?
There is definitely a little mistrust of Rossi with Calder. I think she knows he's smart, they鈥檙e a kind of intellectual equal. She knows there's more to him than he's giving away because quite often there's more to Calder than she ever gives away. She wears a protective suit of armour and doesn't let anyone in, and I think that she recognizes something in Rossi that's kind of similar. She knows there's more to Rossi than meets the eye.
How did it feel getting back on the wee plane to Shetland and where do you most enjoy visiting when you鈥檙e not filming?
I was very excited to be getting on the wee plane off to Shetland again with my half a cup of tea and my caramel wafer鈥alf a cup of tea, because there鈥檚 often turbulence and you can't get a full cup of tea because it'll spill, which I thought was quite funny.
As soon as you touch down, Shetland kind of envelops you. It鈥檚 the whole landscape, I mean the real star of the show is Shetland and the Shetland Isles鈥t's an inimitable place. It's like nowhere I've ever been before. It's a landscape that's arresting and breathtaking鈥t's just a real privilege to be able to go back there.
Obviously, when I did my first series, I didn't know whether I was ever going to go back there, so I felt like I had to rush around buying Shetland jumpers and puffin poo and things like that, just in case.
One of the day trips that we had was with Ian Hart [who plays Euan Rossi] and some of the crew. We drove for miles and got on two ferries up to Unst to visit the gin distillery there as well as the most northern tea room in the British Isles. It was amazing.
Unst almost makes Lerwick [Shetland鈥檚 capital] look like a metropolis. When you get up to Unst, it's really remote. And you really feel it there 鈥� you鈥檙e part of the landscape. It's a very visceral, humbling place to be.
The last series ended with Calder running into the sea 鈥� have you ever tried wild swimming or did this experience put you off?
Once, during the heat wave we had last year, about 25 cast and crew all decided to go onto one of the beaches and we went swimming in the sea. That was one of the most exhilarating evenings. It was absolutely glorious.
I was wearing a wetsuit, and some little booties, but it wasn't a proper wetsuit. It was the one that Maisie [Norma Seaton] who played the murder victim Ellen, wore last year. When you play a dead person they give you a wetsuit to keep you warm when you鈥檙e lying on the ground. So it had a cut around the neck so the water did go in but I have to say I really did enjoy it, and I would definitely do it again.
That being said, the weather was so poor this year, wild horses or wild Shetland ponies, would not have dragged me into the sea this time!
Funny you should mention the weather鈥ast year you had the most glorious sunshine, what was it like this time around?
The weather was a challenge. I mean, I've known cold when I've been filming but this this was something else. This is filming when it鈥檚 so cold your fingers had stopped working. We had heat pads in our pockets, our underwear and taped to our backs. We even had to put our hands in hot water in between takes to literally thaw them out. It's the only thing that would bring the feeling back into my fingers.
And do you have any memorable moments from filming this series?
Lots of memorable moments of locations and things, but I don't want to give too much away! Working with Alison every day is wonderful, we just get on like a house on fire. She's one of these people where I feel as if I can't remember ever not knowing her.
The one memory I have is when production brought in two stunt women to do a running along the beach scene for us. It was a cold, sort of miserable day and they'd got the stunt double women in wigs and Calder coats and Tosh jumpers. But apparently, we ran along the beach and looked like we knew what we were doing, so we didn't need the stunt people. So we were like 鈥淵es!鈥�
Interview with Alison O鈥橠onnell
DI Alison 鈥楾osh鈥� McIntosh
Newly promoted to the position of Detective Inspector, Tosh has a new-found self-confidence. Due to her exceptional local knowledge and experience, Tosh has been able to stay in Shetland and officially take up the position of DI 鈥� the role all of her colleagues already felt she occupied. Respected by everyone at the station and well-known throughout the local community, Tosh finds herself in a difficult position this year as her personal and professional lives collide when her friend Annie Bett goes missing and Annie鈥檚 estranged husband, Ian, becomes the prime suspect.
Congratulations on Tosh鈥檚 promotion to DI鈥here do we find her when Shetland returns?
Tosh is where she has always been - Lerwick Police Station. Only now, side-by-side with DI Ruth Calder, she's in charge too.
I think she's been on a journey with her confidence ever since we first met her with her braces and her bobble hat. For sure her confidence has increased pretty rapidly over the last couple of years as she has stepped into the breach following Perez's departure and discovered she was more capable than she perhaps first thought. She still has little moments of doubt, though, and I think that's important because the audience have watched her grow from rookie status to 鈥榟eid bummer鈥� [the big boss] and it's both realistic and relatable that she would wobble from time to time.
I think everyone has imposter syndrome, some people are just better at hiding it than others.
What is the storyline for this new series of Shetland?
This series is close to home for Tosh as a friend of hers goes missing. Initially this isn't a police matter, it's just something that is happening in Tosh's private life. Her friend has requested they meet, she had something important she wanted to talk to Tosh about - on a professional level - but when Tosh arrives at the agreed place and time, her friend is not there.
She is immediately concerned though initially unsure of how serious this is. But as time passes and Annie [played by Sarah MacGillivray] still isn't accounted for, when she's checked with Donnie [played by Angus Miller] and all of their friends and there's still no news, things begin to escalate. Calder encourages Tosh to trust her instincts and they begin to investigate.
Tosh finds herself in a difficult position this year 鈥� torn between the professional and personal. How does she cope with it all?
Tosh has an unshakeable integrity. She's always going to do the right thing by the investigation which may not always sit well with her friends. Everyone is feeling compromised, stressed and mistrustful and these friendships are going to be tested.
In an investigation like this, every stone must be unturned and a lot of secrets are going to come out. But for Tosh, this collateral damage is unavoidable. She feels the discomfort of it but her primary goal always is to unearth the truth and get justice, however that may look.
Does it make things tricky for her at home with her partner Donnie?
Donnie is very close to this one on a personal level. His best friend becomes a key person in the investigation and while he supports Tosh, he is pulled between his loyalty for his friend and his proximity to how the police investigation develops.
They live in a small community where conflicts-of-interest are inevitable but people are human and fallible and flawed and relationships have weaknesses. This is a bumpy road for them.
Now that Calder has settled in Shetland, has her relationship with Tosh changed?
I think it's a huge vote of confidence for Tosh and all the team that Calder has chosen to take a permanent position with them. They went through a lot during series 8 and ultimately I think they came out of that experience with a mutual respect. I think their relationship has established itself but remains restless. They have moments of genuine connection and moments of disagreement but they are both single-minded in their pursuit of the truth.
Over the course of the new series we see their connection deepen again and we see that, while these women may work in very different ways, they complement each other more often than not.
This series welcomes guest cast including Ian Hart, Vincent Regan and Robert Jack鈥hat was it like having them on set?
Robbie [Robert Jack] and I have known each other for years and I adore him. He is such a beloved figure in the Scottish acting scene and for good reason. He lights up any room and is insanely talented. I was thrilled to get to work with him again.
Both Ian [Hart] and Vincent [Regan] are legends in their own right and brought so much experience and warmth and passion to the show and to their performances. I loved working with them both, and getting to know them both. They have such generosity of spirit and were real team players. The whole cast was fantastic once again. We're so lucky.
And memorable moments from filming this series?
For the first time this year I stayed outside of Lerwick. My family and I were in a little chalet house in Whiteness which just happens to be the next property along from Ruth Calder's house. I loved looking out the kitchen window and seeing her house there, imagining what she might be doing. Probably having a wine!
It was lovely to be somewhere a bit quieter and more remote. We were surrounded by sheep which were a source of endless fascination and amusement for my kids - and also for me. Sheep are hilarious, right?
Is Shetland like a second home to you after 12 years on the show? And what is it about the Shetland Isles that make them so unique?
Shetland has got under my skin, no doubt. I think there was something quite profound about thinking the show was over and having to say an emotional goodbye to this place that I鈥檝e grown to love and that holds so many memories for me...and then discovering that I was going to get a second chance. There's something quite euphoric about that. I'm embracing every moment.
The Isles are unique in so many ways but perhaps most importantly, they are so remote. So much further away from mainland Scotland than I think people might realise. You really do have a sense of being in the middle of the vast ocean, at the mercy of the elements, somehow apart in space and time. It's magical.
When you鈥檙e not filming, what things do you like to do in Shetland? And do you miss it when it all comes to an end?
Our time in Shetland is actually really sociable. There are about 100 cast and crew so we tend to organise nights out together, trips to the beach or the cliffs. A lot of the crew have got really into wild swimming out there and head off to different beaches after work. We don't have a huge amount of down-time but do try to pack as much in as possible. I also spend a lot of time with my family and we have our favourite spots.
I do miss it, of course. Particularly all the people I work with all day every day for several months. But it's also nice to get back to a more gentle pace and focus on other things too.
Interview with Ian Hart
Euan Rossi
An experienced Oxford University Professor of Mathematics, Euan Rossi arrives on Shetland after discovering his former student, Annie Bett, has gone missing. On the surface, he comes across as genuinely concerned but it quickly becomes clear there鈥檚 more to Professor Rossi than meets the eye. His arrival on the Isles came about after Annie left him a voicemail out-of-the-blue asking for help and he didn鈥檛 hesitate to travel to Shetland. While Tosh and Calder initially find Rossi鈥檚 story somewhat suspicious, he manages to convince them he鈥檚 sincere. However, Calder can鈥檛 shake her doubts about Rossi and it鈥檚 not long before his fa莽ade begins to slip and his true colours are revealed.
Welcome to Shetland! Can you tell us about your character, Euan Rossi?
In simple terms he鈥檚 Annie Bett鈥檚 [Sarah MacGillivray] mentor after being her tutor at Oxford University. Very early on, he spotted that Annie was a maths whizz so he focussed on her. And that鈥檚 where their relationship begins, he recognised that she was a cut above the rest in terms of the way she critically thinks and that could be useful to him鈥o everybody, for whatever other things he鈥檚 up to which are not that straightforward shall we say.
Initially, it was just about getting Annie to be the best mathematician so he employs her as part of a code breaking exercise and then that鈥檚 where their story begins鈥�
What drew you to the role of Euan Rossi?
Oddly enough it was more a general thing with the show. A good friend of mine for over twenty-five years, David Kane, was involved in the show for years and so I鈥檝e always known about it. It just seemed like a really interesting take on a crime detective show, there鈥檚 something really different about Shetland, something more personal about it as a crime drama.
Most crime shows are urban and these can be interchangeable 鈥� there鈥檚 always an alley with bins in it for a chase, let鈥檚 be honest. But you get to Shetland and it鈥檚 completely different, it鈥檚 a unique location. I love it when people say 鈥渢here are no trees in Shetland鈥� and you think 鈥渙f course there are鈥� but, you know, there aren鈥檛. Not really, not any natural, indigenous ones to the land, just ones people have planted in their gardens. And that鈥檚 kind of a weird thing to see, you know.
And the colour and texture of the land is different too - it reminds me of the west coast of Ireland to a degree.
Is it true you experienced four seasons in one day in Shetland?
The weather can change in an hour and while that sounds like a clich茅 it is true in the case of Shetland! It can change by the time you鈥檝e walked down the stairs to be honest. You can look out of the window and think 鈥渙h it鈥檚 a nice day for a walk鈥� and then by the time you鈥檝e walked down the road, you need to turn around and go back for your mac.
The first time I went out for a walk I had to turn back and get dressed head-to-toe in waterproofs because the wind comes in a direction I鈥檇 never seen or experienced before! You鈥檝e got to really be equipped for some extremes of weather there because you could be sweating ten minutes later.
What brings Rossi to Shetland?
Well, not to give too much away, he gets a phone call from Annie who he hasn鈥檛 seen or heard from in over ten years. There鈥檚 something about that that piques his interest, her voicemail makes him fear something has gone wrong for Annie. At this point he doesn鈥檛 know what has happened to her so he heads to Shetland to go and investigate, he thinks he owes her somehow, he feels obliged to help Annie. I don鈥檛 think he knows what has happened to Annie, it could be just that she is in trouble.
Ah but Calder is suspicious of Rossi the moment he arrives isn鈥檛 she?
With Calder, it鈥檚 a game. What someone might suspect and what someone can prove are two very different things and Rossi is bright enough to understand the difference. By the very nature of what Calder does for a living, she鈥檚 suspicious of Rossi. She鈥檇 be a very poor police officer if she wasn鈥檛 suspicious! Rossi is familiar with the world of police investigations - he knows what they鈥檙e about. He knows that, provided you don鈥檛 give too much information away, it only remains a suspicion.
You鈥檝e played a very famous Professor in the past in Harry Potter but Rossi is an altogether different one鈥�
They鈥檙e very different things aren鈥檛 they? Very different indeed. It鈥檚 not the simplistic thing of fantasy versus reality. It鈥檚 more than that. There鈥檚 a certain heightened, stylistic space that the Potter World occupies whereas Shetland is far more real.
This is a series which feels so grounded, so much part of that landscape and that life, that it kind of grounds everything else that goes along with it. Essentially all stories when you take them out of their context are just far-fetched nonsense but by grounding it the way they do in the location of Shetland, you accept that it represents reality far more than a magician.
Oddly enough, statistically speaking, Shetland has the lowest crime rate of anywhere in the whole of the United Kingdom and yet, you buy it straight away that these things can happen there.
Have you ever visited the Shetland Isles before or was this a first time for you?
I鈥檇 seen it on the map and knew that it was closer to Norway than Scotland but I鈥檇 never been before. Getting there is a journey, a real experience in itself. You鈥檝e got to get that little propellor plane from Aberdeen and you鈥檙e up and down before you know it 鈥� no time for a cuppa. I think I got a biscuit on one journey though which was nice. It鈥檚 a really interesting and unique place.
Went to Unst [on one of the Shetland Isles] and I got around as much as I could between filming. I was lucky enough to get some incredibly sunny days with lovely sunsets too, the light is so amazing there 鈥� you don鈥檛 get to experience that if you live in the city.
The place is interesting and so are the people. I think places that are on the edge attract really interesting people. For such a small community, there鈥檚 an incredible array of characters once you get talking to the locals. I mean all the lovely locations you see when you google Shetland are incredible but it鈥檚 the people you meet when you pop into the local shop or whatever 鈥� it鈥檚 got such an interesting collection of people in Shetland.
Although your character is very brooding and serious, were there lots of laughs on set?
What鈥檚 the point in going to work if you鈥檙e not going to have a laugh? It鈥檚 the human condition to want to enjoy the company of others. The people on that show are all absolutely lovely, every last one of them from the props department, art department, sound, make-up鈥veryone.
I worked with Ashley briefly and fleetingly on a film called A Cock and Bull Story some time ago. Both her and Alison were absolutely lovely to work with, kind and supportive and just lovely people to be around.
Shetland is hugely popular the world over 鈥� what do you think is the secret to its success?
There鈥檚 a Scandi Noir vibe to Shetland 鈥� it instantly feels different from other UK shows. We all love a good story and the stories in Shetland are always good. The personal lives of the characters are given equal weight and measure to the tension of the crime drama so you get behind them and invest in them over a good chunk of time. Will they, won鈥檛 they? And all the other things which are not just to do with police procedure.
Have you filmed in Scotland before?
I鈥檝e filmed in Scotland quite a lot over the years. With Harry Potter we visited a ruin somewhere I remember! But for the bulk of my career, being in Scotland has meant Glasgow or Edinburgh really. Although we did film up in the Highlands for Mary Queen of Scots.
It鈥檚 nice to get beyond the cities until you get eaten by midgies in the Cairngorms 鈥� there鈥檚 about eight million biting insects wanting to eat you. They bite the horses you鈥檙e filming with and then the horses go crackers and then someone in the crew says 鈥渃an you just stand still next to the horse?鈥� and you think 鈥渘ot really, mate, the horse is going nuts because it鈥檚 getting bitten!鈥� But Scotland is beautiful, you can鈥檛 find a more beautiful country, I think.
And memorable moments from filming on Shetland?
Well there was a quiz night in Scalloway. We started off well but as the pints went down, we started losing focus a little and forgot the whole object of the exercise was actually to correctly answer questions! It wasn鈥檛 just me though, Lesley Hart [plays Noreen Stack] and Vincent Regan [plays John Harris] were on my team too but we were pretty awful to be honest. We had some floating people who would come in, answer a couple of questions and then leave so it wasn鈥檛 entirely our fault we were so terrible.
Can you sum up in five words what fans can expect from the new series of Shetland?
Not what you think鈥aybe!
Interview with Vincent Regan
John Harris
Upstanding, moral and stoic, John Harris is an old school Shetlander who has been recently widowed. Hardworking, dependable and shrewd, John runs a local mussel farm along with his sons, Fergus and Patrick. However, whilst he holds his youngest son, Fergus, in high regard, he despairs of Patrick, who he thinks is erratic and hot-headed. Father and son clash constantly 鈥� Patrick is the only person who can make John lose his cool. A calming influence on John鈥檚 life has been his friendship with his accountant, Annie Bett. Most recently, John was glad to have Annie and her young son, Noah, move into his home following her recent marital split. He never liked Annie鈥檚 husband Ian 鈥� he was too showy for the humble John. Whilst John is respected, he鈥檚 not without his faults, not least the fact that he鈥檚 is too proud and rarely compromises.
Welcome to Shetland! What drew you to the role of John Harris?
I鈥檇 seen some of Shetland before and I was a big fan. When I read the scripts they were really well written and, also, I had never been to the Shetland Islands so it felt like the perfect opportunity to visit and be part of this show. Strangely, I thought Shetland was just off the coast of Scotland 鈥� how wrong was I? It鈥檚 midway between Norway and Scotland and completely unique.
Can you tell us about your character?
Well John is born and bred on the Shetland Isles. He鈥檚 an incredibly hard worker 鈥� his mussel farming business means so much to him and he wants to pass it on to his sons, Patrick [Ross Anderson] and Fergus [Macleod Stephen], one day.
The thing about the Shetland Isles is they are very, very beautiful but incredibly remote so I鈥檇 imagine that John can feel quite isolated. When his late wife was alive, John probably had the perfect life with her and his two sons and he didn鈥檛 want for anything else. He loved his wife dearly.
With the death of his wife, loneliness has crept in and there鈥檚 a generational lack of communication between John and his sons. So, when an opportunity to help Annie and Noah Bett arose and they came into his life, he discovered that they also helped him through his loneliness and grief.
How is John connected to the missing woman, Annie, and her son, Noah?
Annie and Noah were looking for somewhere to stay and John opened up his home to them. In a way, he鈥檚 self-medicating with perhaps the onset of grief-led depression and thinks that having someone else in the house might improve the mood at home.
In his own way, he thinks that having younger voices in the house might help the Harris family too. I think, partly, John was using it as a way to change the dynamic inside his own family but when Annie arrived, he鈥檚 formed a strong bond with her. She鈥檚 very intelligent, empathetic and a kind person, and he鈥檚 grown close to her.
How do his sons feel about Annie?
Being emotionally raw from the death of his mother, Patrick views Annie as a replacement and hasn鈥檛 taken well to her being there. In his mind, John is betraying his mother鈥檚 memory by having a bond with another woman.
Patrick doesn鈥檛 mince his words and knows exactly how to wind up his father. So, with Annie鈥檚 arrival, Patrick uses this change in their home life as a method to attack his father.
I still think underneath all that there鈥檚 a real love between the Harris men but no matter how much this is the case, you can still have grand arguments and difficulties with your loved ones.
The Harris men have a very troubled dynamic, what is John鈥檚 relationship like with his sons?
A lot of the time with older sons, like Patrick Harris, too much pressure gets placed on them to do the right thing and tick every box and John is guilty of this. Patrick has rebelled against the responsibility and all the pressure John has been putting on him over the years.
I was the youngest son in my family and it is easier having that role. Fergus Harris is the youngest one and gets a bit of a 鈥榟all pass鈥� in life, he鈥檚 let off lightly compared to his older brother. All of this has created a sense of animosity between Patrick and Fergus and, of course, the loss of their mother has had an emotional impact on them.
The theme of 鈥榝ather and son鈥� is key to this series of Shetland鈥�
Yes, indeed and the Harris family explore that theme alongside grief. As is often the case with death in a family, everyone worries about how the youngest child is coping so Patrick is often forgotten about. I鈥檇 imagine a lot of John鈥檚 emotional support has gone towards Fergus and not to Patrick. He鈥檚 kicking out against this and Patrick is rebelling against his father in every way he can.
As in most jobs you do as an actor, you try and find that emotional common ground with your character and you mine your emotional hard drive for those occasions in your life which mirror the script.
Have you ever visited the Shetland Isles before?
It鈥檚 the most beautiful place, it really is, it鈥檚 incredible. Unfortunately, with my filming schedule, I鈥檇 film then have to fly back home. I did manage to squeeze in some walks around Lerwick but, sometimes, the weather would beat me back鈥ot that that put me off. Even just looking out my hotel window at the incredible landscape in front of me was wonderful.
When you鈥檙e fortunate enough to visit a place like Shetland, you don鈥檛 mind the rain so much.
How did you find the filming experience of Shetland?
I鈥檝e worked on many sets around the world, with lots of different crews but I can say that Shetland was the nicest team I鈥檝e ever worked with. Everyone was very friendly and kind 鈥� I know actors say that all the time but it really was true with this show. There was a really, really lovely atmosphere.
The great thing about the show and about the 成人快手 is that they are really committed to Shetland. Sometimes, you鈥檒l do a job that supposed to be set in a specific location and you end up hardly being there or you鈥檙e there for as few days as possible. That鈥檚 not the case with Shetland. They鈥檙e there for quite a long time and it鈥檚 central to the story of the drama.
What was it like filming with Ashley Jensen and Alison O鈥橠onnell?
I鈥檝e not worked with Alison before but she was fantastic to be around. Ashley and I did an Agatha Raisin together but it was during the Covid years so it was great fun but weird. Years later, I鈥檓 still meeting crew I worked with who I don鈥檛 recognise without their masks on!
Shetland is hugely popular the world over 鈥� what do you think is the secret to its success?
It鈥檚 the beautiful locations but I also think that it鈥檚 the fact that every year they find interesting stories and plotlines. They鈥檝e also created characters that you believe in. The filmmakers have obviously found the right recipe to make it work - they play to their strengths.
Have you filmed in Scotland before?
I love filming in Scotland. Weirdly, I seem to have fallen into doing Scottish accents a lot over the years! The first time I worked in Scotland was with the late, great Robbie Coltrane on The Planman and that was the first time I did a Scottish accent. And then I ended up doing Low Winter Sun with another Scottish accent and then Traces so perhaps a lot of people might think that I鈥檓 actually Scottish?
I鈥檓 beginning to think I should step back from taking on these roles otherwise I could upset my Scottish acting friends!
And memorable moments from filming on Shetland?
Being on John鈥檚 boat all day was quite something. Luckily we were going out on calm water but I do remember the old adage that my mother used to say to me on our travels to Ireland when I was young: 鈥淎lways watch the horizon, don鈥檛 watch the sea birds鈥�. So I kind of did that when we were filming because I can鈥檛 take sea sickness tablets because, ironically, they make me ill! I was always glad at the end of the day when we got off the boat on to terra firma.
In five words, can you sum up what fans can expect from the new series of Shetland?
Beautiful settings, great story, watch it! Technically, that鈥檚 six words though鈥�
Interview with Robert Jack
Ian Bett
Local businessman in charge of a construction firm, Ian Bett is well liked within the community and a long-time friend of Tosh鈥檚 partner, Donnie. While it may seem like Ian has all the trappings of success, the truth is his business is struggling and so is his homelife. Annie recently left him, taking their young son Noah with her. Ian has struggled with the separation and wants to reconcile with Annie - he appears to be falling apart without her. Despite all of his faults - and there are many - Annie鈥檚 sudden disappearance will put Ian through an emotional wringer and send ripples through the friendship group to which both Tosh and Donnie belong.
Welcome to Shetland! Can you tell us about your character, Ian Bett?
Ian runs a construction company in Shetland which is seemingly successful. He鈥檚 got the 鈥榩erfect鈥� life but what people don鈥檛 know is that his wife has recently left him, she鈥檚 moved out of the family home, his business isn鈥檛 going as well as it seems and he鈥檚 trying to hide all of that. He鈥檚 not dealing with any of it particularly well.
What drew you to the role of Ian?
His flaws. People are both good and bad and that鈥檚 always interesting to play. Ian鈥檚 flaws include pride and an inability to talk. Portraying people who make bad decisions and then finding a reason in those moments. All the grey areas are the interesting aspects to play in a character because that鈥檚 where we all exist rather than just being a cipher for good or bad.
Ian鈥檚 a man who doesn鈥檛 recognise his own weaknesses and he鈥檚 not a terribly present father to his son Noah [played by Jacob Ferguson]. He鈥檚 never really not succeeded 鈥� or at least that鈥檚 the impression he gives 鈥� whether that鈥檚 in business or his life so the idea that someone would leave him is unthinkable. Added to this, Annie, his wife [played by Sarah MacGillivray], is being really vague and suspicious about why the marriage is over and he doesn鈥檛 trust the reason she鈥檚 going. I think anyone would find that hard to deal with.
Ian鈥檚 wife, Annie, and son, Noah, go missing 鈥� does this make him a prime suspect?
I think he鈥檚 certainly on the list! Good armchair detectives always look at the husband or the boyfriend in cases like this don鈥檛 they?
I don鈥檛 think he has a choice but to act guilty. As soon as someone suspects you, you鈥檙e in trouble. There isn鈥檛 a good way to act when suspicion falls on you. If you go too hard on the denial then that make you look guilty but if you brush it off like it鈥檚 nothing, then you鈥檙e also guilty. You鈥檙e damned if you do and you鈥檙e damned if you don鈥檛.
Tosh鈥檚 friends give her a hard time for putting the spotlight on Ian but how does he feel about her police work?
Maybe subconsciously Ian expects some kind of leeway from Tosh but I don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 as harsh on Tosh as some of the other friends are. He knows she has to investigate the case and, in that respect, he鈥檚 quite rational. He understands that she is doing her job.
Have you ever visited the Shetland Isles before?
This was a first time for me and what an incredible experience it was. I loved it and adored it. Shetland鈥檚 got a wonderful mix of Scandinavia and Scotland.
I flew up and even that was an experience, the runway is literally at the bottom of the island. I was like 鈥渨hy are we landing now? There鈥檚 no runway! We鈥檙e going to land in the sea鈥h there鈥檚 the land!鈥� It鈥檚 extraordinary, even that as your first introduction to the Shetland Isles. The people are super friendly and kind, in a way that only islanders can be.
There鈥檚 an old phrase in Scotland 鈥渋f you don鈥檛 like the weather, just wait five minutes鈥� and I鈥檝e never been somewhere where that is actually true鈥ntil now. We were filming a scene up at the lighthouse in Sumburgh and I was in glorious sunshine, then five minutes later when we turned the cameras round, it was sheet rain going the opposite way.
I was very fortunate actually, my character鈥檚 house was in a place called Scousburgh, and the view over the bay was incredible. I mean it would be for a property developer! It was absolutely gorgeous, an extraordinary place.
Although your character in Shetland is very serious, were there any laughs on set?
Oh yes, absolutely. Because we were meant to be a big group of friends it was slightly mad and we embraced it. Quite a few of us already knew each other so it was like a group of friends having laughs and jokes and it was all very relaxed.
It was also really lovely having Jacob around, the young actor who plays my son, Noah. He鈥檚 got some heavy lifting to do in this series but Jacob took it all in his stride. He was incredible actually, he was able to flip into his character, it was like he had a wee switch and I loved working with Jacob.
He鈥檚 super fun, really hard working with an incredible imagination and we all felt really close to Jacob in the end and quite protective of him.
What was it like filming with Ashley Jensen and Alison O鈥橠onnell?
A long time ago I did a play with Alison called 鈥榃hite Rose鈥� and it鈥檚 been ages since we鈥檝e seen each other. On our first day filming together, Alison was like 鈥淚鈥檝e been waiting for you to come on set!鈥� and I was like 鈥淲ell it鈥檚 only taken nine series but I hoped, eventually, they鈥檇 run out of actors and they鈥檇 have to ask me!鈥�
I鈥檇 never worked with Ashley before, I鈥檇 just seen her in lots of things. They were both so lovely to work with. In fact, the environment and atmosphere on set was just beautiful and really special and they were so kind and giving to all the guest cast. Without a doubt, this was one of the warmest sets I鈥檝e ever been involved in which is ironic given that we were on a very blowy Shetland!
Shetland is hugely popular the world over 鈥� what do you think is the secret to its success?
People love crime drama so that mixed with Scottish landscapes and outdoor clothing - it鈥檚 a great combination! Above all else, it鈥檚 quality storytelling, amazing locations and made by super talented people who know their craft and you can see that on screen.
The fact that Shetland鈥檚 existed and thrived as long as it has is testament to the drama鈥檚 popularity. It has a quality to it that people believe in and with the location there鈥檚 a wonderful balance between the crime and the drama.
Any memorable moments from filming?
One of my favourite memories was when Jacob [Noah Bett] and I were mucking about before a hug and then every scene after that involving hugging ended up with us having a fit of the giggles. It was so bad at one point, he had to do the entire scene with his eyes closed.
Can you sum up in five words what fans can expect from the new series of Shetland?
Family secrets, strained friendship, conspiracies.