But with Henshall recently announcing<\/a>\u00a0that the upcoming seventh season will be his last outing in the role, we\u2019re left with two critical questions: who will step into his shoes in season 8? And what does the future hold for Shetland?<\/p>\n While the series initially worked directly from Ann Cleeves\u2019s source material, several of the seasons in recent years have moved away from adapting her work, which leaves the team behind it free to write as they see fit, which will now include appointing a new lead.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a possibility that the executive producers could pass the baton to a fan favourite supporting character, such as Alison O\u2019Donnell\u2019s Tosh, who has been a key player in all six seasons to date. That would echo the trajectory of Inspector Lewis, which focused on Inspector Morse\u2019s sidekick and was not based on Colin Dexter\u2019s writing.<\/p>\n But despite the success of the ITV series, which spanned nine seasons \u2013 a greater lifespan than its parent series \u2013 it feels unlikely that a Shetland spin-off is on the cards.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the possibility of Shetland following in The Bay\u2019s<\/a> footsteps, with the ITV drama bringing in Marsha Thomason following Morven Christie\u2019s exit. That would give the series space to observe the island with a fresh pair of eyes, offering new avenues for discovery and, crucially, tension.<\/p>\n The introduction of a newcomer would also inject the show with a fresh feel and tone, as is the case with the addition of each lead detective in Death in Paradise<\/a>.<\/p>\n Regardless of who takes the reigns, the shift in tone or personality might prove off-putting for audiences. While Tosh and Sandy (Steven Robertson) have quirks and traits that make them standout characters who offer an interesting counter to Perez, are they suited to being the central focus? A new addition also poses the same unknown. However confident the Shetland bosses are in their decision, it will be the viewers who decide if they\u2019ve chosen correctly.<\/p>\n Perez\u2019s exit could also signal the end of the road for other characters, such as Mark Bonnar\u2019s Duncan, who is heavily tied to the lead due to their Cassie connection. While the show is first and foremost a detective series, the human side of Perez and his relationships is a central part of its appeal and continued success. To ensure that remains a key aspect of the narrative moving forwards, the creative team behind it will need to establish a similar heart and focus with whoever the new lead is.<\/p>\n If we do see Bonnar and other core cast members exit, Shetland\u2019s long-term survival would undoubtedly be under threat, with a mass exodus likely proving too drastic a shift, both for audiences and also those who operate behind-the-scenes.<\/p> The ultimate question is whether a new lead can maintain the acute interest that has resulted in six seasons of the show to date, with two more instalments on their way? With the novels and subsequent series built around Perez, will audiences be able \u2013 or willing \u2013 to embrace change?<\/p>\n There\u2019s currently ample appetite for it to continue in the short term, and the BBC is confident it can continue the story in season 8. But beyond that, it\u2019s unknown if Henshall\u2019s exit has signalled the beginning of the end.<\/p>\n Shetland season 7 begins in August 2022 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0Ann Cleeves\u2019s Shetland novels<\/a>\u00a0are available to buy now.<\/strong><\/p>\n Check out more of our\u00a0Drama<\/a>\u00a0coverage or visit our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0to see what\u2019s on tonight.<\/strong><\/p>\n The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now \u2013\u00a0subscribe now<\/a>\u00a0and get the next 12 issues for only \u00a31. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the\u00a0Radio Times podcast<\/a> with Jane Garvey.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/body><\/html>\n By Christopher Connor Published: Tuesday, 26 July 2022 at 12:00 am Crime drama\u00a0Shetland has been a huge success for the BBC following its debut back in 2013.\u00a0The series, which is enjoyed by audiences in the UK, US, Australia, Scandinavia, Japan and multiple other regions, offers a compelling look at the island community which populates its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":19179,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez.jpg",2079,1386,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/07\/can-shetland-survive-without-jimmy-perez-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Christopher Connor Published: Tuesday, 26 July 2022 at 12:00 am Crime drama\u00a0Shetland has been a huge success for the BBC following its debut back in 2013.\u00a0The series, which is enjoyed by audiences in the UK, US, Australia, Scandinavia, Japan and multiple other regions, offers a compelling look at the island community which populates its…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/19178"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2018\/02\/shetland-cast-5a2065c.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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