Shetland icon lands major new role in BBC mystery drama after shock exit

He's well-known for his role as Jimmy Perez in Shetland but after his shock exit last year, Douglas Henshall has moved on to a new job.

The actor appeared in Who is Erin Carter? on Netflix earlier this year and he'll soon be back on the BBC in an adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder is Easy.

Douglas is taking on the role of Major Horton and will star alongside David Jonsson as Fitzwilliam and Penelope Wilton as Miss Pinkerton.

The series takes place in England, 1954, where on a train to London, Fitzwilliam meets Miss Pinkerton, who tells him that a killer is on the loose in the sleepy English village of Wychwood under Ashe.

The villagers believe the deaths are mere accidents, but Miss Pinkerton knows otherwise – and when she's later found dead on her way to Scotland Yard, Fitzwilliam feels he must find the killer before they can strike again.

Because for a certain kind of person, murder is easy…

The series is set to air on BBC One in the UK and will be available on Britbox International's streaming service in the US, Canada and South Africa.

First look images of the drama show Douglas in his role as Major Horton in a three-piece tweed suit and hat as he stands with his two dogs.

It's certainly a very different role to his character of Jimmy, which he revealed it was time to leave in 2022.

Douglas said in a statement at the time: "After series five of Shetland, David Kane and I decided we wanted to do two more series to complete the story of Jimmy Perez.

"So series six and seven were commissioned together to give us time to wrap up Perez's story to a satisfactory end.

"It’s been one of the privileges of my career to play Jimmy Perez for almost ten years and to work with so many wonderful people both in front of and behind the camera, and also to spend so much time in Shetland.

"The Isles were so much a part of our show and of Perez himself. I’ll miss him and the place. I wish everyone involved much luck with whatever happens next."

Douglas has been replaced by Ashley Jensen who arrived on Shetland as DI Ruth Calder, a former local who moved to work in the Met.

Shetland airs Wednesday on BBC One at 9pm.

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