Arts / ‘It’s quite personal this time’: Shetland actor speaks about next series
Alison O’Donnell was speaking in a new BBC video which looks back at her role in the crime drama
SHETLAND actor Alison O’Donnell has offered some more hints about the upcoming ninth series of the BBC crime drama – saying it is quite personal for her character.
O’Donnell – who plays Tosh in the show – said the upcoming new series, which is due to be aired this year, picks up where season eight left off.
Speaking in a new BBC video where she reminiscences about the programme, the actor said: “We’re down to business, [DI Ruth] Calder is part of the team, we’re all working together now.
“It’s actually quite personal for Tosh this time because the person who goes missing at the beginning of the season is in Tosh’s friendship circle. It’s something that she knows quite well.”
She added that series nine has the “most amazing cast”.
Among the guest cast is Ian Hart (Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, Harry Potter) and Vincent Regan (Traces, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Aquaman).
“On an island, you can’t hide, you come out there, you’re away from your family, the weather is tough the work is hard,” O’Donnell added.
“But people every year I’m amazed by how they come in and give these astonishing performances. We have that again this year and I’m really excited to share it with everyone.”
The actor said it feels like a “weird dream” that Shetland is still going strong after first airing as a two-parter back in 2013.
She also revealed that she had mentally prepared herself for the show to come to an end when lead actor Douglas Henshall – who played DI Jimmy Perez – announced he was leaving Shetland after series seven.
O’Donnell said the team had “wound it down” while filming the last episodes with Henshall.
Anticipating that the end was nigh, the actor said she visited all her favourite shops and cafes in Shetland – and even bought souvenirs.
However, she soon learnt that the show was going to continue with Ashley Jensen playing DI Ruth Calder as Henshall’s replacement.
O’Donnell said Jensen is a “hoot” to work with, with the pair hitting it off straight away.
Jensen – who has previously worked on programmes like Extras, Ugly Betty and After Life – brought a “wealth of experience” to the show.
But O’Donnell said she herself brought her own experience and knowledge of Shetland. “We just really met in the middle,” she added.
O’Donnell explained how she was thrust into the show in its early days as someone largely unexperienced in TV, having mainly worked in theatre – with Henshall on hand to offer guidance.
Although the show was inspired by Ann Cleeves’ Shetland crime novels, the role of Tosh was created for the TV programme.
O’Donnell said the character was devised to “bring Perez out of himself a little bit”.
She added that Tosh was many things – ambitious, outspoken, intelligent…and a pint drinker.
The actor recalled one scene where Tosh was hungover and threw up after seeing a body – but in fact it was just cold soup she had to spit out.
On a more serious level, the storyline where Tosh experienced sexual assault – in an episode broadcast in 2016 – received praise for how the team dealt with the subject matter.
O’Donnell said there was a sense that these types of stories were not being told in a responsible way, and not always from the survivors’ point of view.
Highlighting how it was almost like “activism”, the actor said: “We were going into this with an agenda to try to change the narrative.”
She added that cast and crew undertook research before filming, including a visit to a Rape Crisis headquarters.
“I just tried to be sensitive always to what Tosh was going through, and to tell it from her side,” O’Donnell said.
The actor also reflected on some of her memories from working on Shetland – a programme she has been involved in since day one.
One thing which came to mind, in series three, was when the cast had some downtime after a tough day of filming.
It was the “summer solstice” in Shetland and the actor was among a group heading back to their hotel in a taxi at around midnight.
“I just remember being in the taxi just thinking ‘how am I so lucky to get to be here doing this in this place’,” an emotional O’Donnell said.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.”
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