Ann Cleeves, the author of the Shetland novels which were adapted for the popular BBC series, has opened up about her reaction to the news that Douglas Henshall has chosen to leave the show.
MORE: Douglas Henshall breaks silence after shock exit from Shetland
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, she said: "t’s sad that Dougie will no longer be playing Jimmy Perez; he was perfect in the role. But I’m delighted that the BBC want to continue filming in these beautiful islands. It’ll be exciting to see what happens next."
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BBC bosses have already confirmed that the show will be continued after Douglas exits after season seven, but have yet to announce who will be taking over as the new lead. Meanwhile, Douglas admitted that he didn’t realise the news of his departure was being released earlier this week, tweeting that it had been "a weird day".
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He wrote: "Been a weird day. Thank you for all the kind words about Shetland. The people, all around the world who followed Jimmy Perez over the years and empathised with him, thank you, it was very much appreciated. For those that are interested I’ll explain my reasons for leaving later."
Douglas is leaving following season seven
He was inundated with support from fans, with one writing: "Don't explain anything Douglas. It's run it's course and you have made yourself a legend. Christ almighty I am still watching Hamish McBeth 20 years after it finished so will still be watching Shetland in 2035. Look forward to seeing what's next with you." Another person added: "Wonderful programme with an amazing cast. Beautiful scenery Shetland has it all. You will be missed but hope there will be other dramas to watch with you in them."
In a statement, Douglas added: "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.”
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