BBC Shetland star shares behind-the-scenes insights ahead of series 9 premiere

BBC One is set to welcome back the hit series Shetland for its ninth season on November 6, after a year-long hiatus. The show's return has been met with excitement from fans, especially since a 10th season has already been given the green light.

The upcoming episodes of Shetland will feature Ashley Jensen as the formidable DI Ruth Calder, with Scottish talent Alison O'Donnell returning as DS Alison McIntosh. Joining them is an impressive lineup including Ian Hart, Vincent Regan, Lewis Howden, Anne Kidd, and Steven Robertson, among others.

Alison shared insights into the filming of the new series, hinting at what viewers can expect from her character. She expressed her fondness for working on Shetland, highlighting the "sociable" nature of the production crew and her ability to engage in numerous activities while filming.

"Our time in Shetland is actually really sociable. There are about 100 cast and crew so we tend to organise nights out together, trips to the beach or the cliffs. A lot of the crew have got really into wild swimming out there and head off to different beaches after work. We don't have a huge amount of down-time but do try to pack as much in as possible. I also spend a lot of time with my family and we have our favourite spots," she said.

Alison went on to say: "I do miss it, of course. Particularly all the people I work with all day every day for several months. But it's also nice to get back to a more gentle pace and focus on other things too," reports .

Television star Alison dished the dirt on her beloved Shetland character, known affectionately as Tosh, revealing some juicy details about what fans can expect in the upcoming series. Discussing Tosh's evolution, Alison shared the scoop on her character's rise through the ranks and her new responsibilities.

"Tosh is where she has always been - Lerwick Police Station. Only now, side-by-side with DI Ruth Calder, she's in charge too," Alison divulged. "I think she's been on a journey with her confidence ever since we first met her with her braces and her bobble hat."

Alison also said: "For sure her confidence has increased pretty rapidly over the last couple of years as she has stepped into the breach following Perez's departure and discovered she was more capable than she perhaps first thought. She still has little moments of doubt, though, and I think that's important because the audience have watched her grow from rookie status to 'heid bummer' and it's both realistic and relatable that she would wobble from time to time. I think everyone has imposter syndrome, some people are just better at hiding it than others."

Shetland season nine premieres on Wednesday, November 6, at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.