Series 7 of BBC One's Shetland is finally here and will mark the end of the road for Douglas Henshall. The actor, who plays Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez, is leaving the show after nearly a decade in the iconic role.
The new season of the acclaimed murder-mystery will see Perez take on a thrilling final investigation that will draw him into the secret past of a family new to Shetland, revealing an unimaginable threat to the community.
Read more: Shetland cast list: Douglas Henshall and the new stars joining season 7 of the BBC One drama
Douglas announced he was leaving the series, which is based on Ann Cleeves's books, back in July. But why is he leaving?
Here's everything you need to know.
Why is Douglas Henshall leaving Shetland?
Douglas said he decided to leave "a few years ago" because he felt his "story was coming to a natural end".
He said: "It was time to find a resolution to Perez’s private life. I never wanted to ruin the things that were unique to him and our series, so it felt like the right time to wrap up his story in a way that would be satisfactory to everybody.
"I am aware we’re not changing the world in any way, shape or form, but as far as crime shows go, Shetland does really well in that genre. We tell stories that are very good, the characters are great and I wanted to go out on a high."
On keeping his exit a secret, Douglas continued: "The last thing I would want to do was give it away but it feels a bit real and weird now. Once this series is over on TV, it’s over [for Douglas Henshall] - I don’t think it will feel real until that moment, for me.
"My last scenes were filmed in a car park in Kilmacolm, which was very odd. We’d tried to wrap three times, but because of Covid it kept being put back, so it felt a little anticlimactic in the end. I did say a few words of thanks to everyone who was there but it’s impossible to encapsulate tem years of work. Shetland has meant a lot to me and it’s going to take some time to sink in that I’ve left the show." For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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