Shetland fans were gutted when Douglas Henshall said he was leaving the show. But there's a silver lining because viewers can look forward to a new face joining the BBC crime drama.
MORE: Douglas Henshall's Shetland replacement confirmed and fans have same reaction
On Wednesday, it was announced that Ashley Jensen would be appearing as the new detective taking over DI Jimmy Perez. A statement read: "Ashley Jensen will lead the cast of acclaimed BBC murder mystery drama Shetland when it returns for its next series in 2023, it was announced today."
WATCH: Douglas Henshall bowed out as Jimmy Perez after series seven
The statement then revealed that Ashley would be taking on the role DI Ruth Calder, a native Shetlander who, after 20 years working for the Met in London, returns to the isles to take on gritty cases. But who is Ashley? Get to know the actress and where you have seen her before below…
Who is Ashley Jensen?
Ashley Jensen is a Scottish actress who has a familiar face to TV fans. She has appeared in plenty of shows over the years including EastEnders, The Bill and more. But the role that made her a household name was perhaps her part in Ricky Gervais' show Extras as Maggie – a role for which she was nominated in the Supporting Actress categories at the Emmy Awards.
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© Photo: NetflixAshley Jensen in After Life
As well as her success in Extras, in 2006, Ashley then went on to gain recognition for her role in Ugly Betty as Christina McKinney. She appeared in the drama for four years and was nominated for a Best Acting Performance award at the Scottish BAFTAs and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
More recently, she's teamed up with Ricky Gervais once again in his Netflix drama After Life in which she plays Emma, a nurse who looks after the dad of Ricky's character's dad who was living with dementia.
© Photo: SkyShe's also known for her work in Agatha Raisin
What has Ashley Jensen said about her role in Shetland?
Ashley told the BBC: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Shetland as DI Ruth Calder," the Ugly Betty star said. "It's such a hugely successful show and I am aware I have very big boots to fill since the departure of DI Perez, who was very much loved by fans of the show."
She continued: "There will be a different dynamic with Ruth amongst the regular characters and a few more new interesting characters to enjoy."
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