Phyllis Logan, who portrayed Mrs. Hughes in the period drama Downton Abbey, has joined the cast of Shetland as production on the new series begins.
She joins Ashley Jensen, who was recently announced as the new main actor, and Alison O’Donnell, a series regular.
The imminent eighth season of the BBC murder mystery is currently being filmed in Scotland and the Shetland Islands.
The series is based on crime novels by Ann Cleeves. Ashley Jensen fills the void left by DI Jimmy Perez, who was portrayed by Douglas Henshall for seven seasons.
Met Police Detective Inspector Ruth Calder (Jensen) will return to her native Shetland to locate a vulnerable witness to a gangland homicide in the eighth season.
The BBC’s commissioning editor, Gaynor Holmes, was “delighted” to see the program return with a “superb cast.” She further stated that the new plot would “keep audiences on the edge of their seats.”
She said,
“We are thrilled to see the show embark on this fantastic new chapter, with its unique blend of eerie atmosphere, complex characters, and emotional storytelling.”
Logan, 67, from Paisley, appeared in Downton Abbey: A New Era last year and portrayed Maggie Smart in The Good Karma Hospital previously.
She joins a number of new cast members, including Jamie Sives from Guilt, Dawn Steele from Granite Harbour, and Don Gilet from EastEnders.
The ensemble will also include Ann Louise Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, singer for Deacon Blue.
Alison O’Donnell (DS Alison “Tosh” McIntosh), Steven Robertson (Sandy), Lewis Howden (Billy), and Anne Kidd (Cora) will also reprise their roles as series regulars.
Kate Bartlett, the executive producer for Silverprint Pictures, which produces the program, stated, “Paul Logue has crafted a unique and emotionally complex story set against the breathtaking and evocative Shetland Isles landscape.
We are ecstatic to produce this new series with such tremendous Scottish talent.
Shetland is one of an increasing number of Scottish BBC dramas, including the recently announced adaptation of Shuggie Bain, Guilt, Vigil, Mayflies, and Granite Harbour. Shetland will be disseminated internationally by ITV Studios.
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