BBC Shetland star spills on major change to her character in new series

The ninth season of Shetland has made a triumphant return to television, much to the delight of its avid fanbase. The latest chapter of the BBC's gripping crime drama follows DI Ruth Calder (portrayed by Ashley Jensen) and DI Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh (played by Alison O'Donnell) as they delve into the enigmatic vanishing of Tosh's friend, Annie Bett, whose body is eventually discovered. This season brings a host of changes, with DI Calder stepping into the spotlight after making Shetland her permanent home.

Her colleague Tosh has experienced significant personal growth and evolution, something that O'Donnell discussed in detail prior to the new series airing on BBC One. Now promoted to DI, Tosh stands as DI Calder's indispensable partner, showcasing a remarkable boost in self-assurance. O'Donnell shared insights into her character's progression, stating that Tosh has been grappling with feelings of imposter syndrome occasionally, reports the Daily Record .



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

" O'Donnell further elaborated on Tosh's character development, adding: "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' [the big boss] 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.

" The initial two episodes of Shetland's ninth series have already graced our screens, with the third set to premiere on Wednesday, 27 November at 9pm. Fans can also catch up on all three episodes via BBC iPlayer. Nonetheless, the reception to the early instalments of Shetland's new series hasn't been overwhelmingly positive.

Some BBC viewers have expressed difficulties in engaging with the latest series, suggesting it's taken a downward turn, particularly during the airing of the second episode on 20 November. One viewer reached out on X, formerly known as Twitter , commenting: "Struggling a bit with this series..

...

. #Shetland." (sic) A second lamented: "Really struggling with this series of #shetland Just not invested in McCagney and McLacey.

" (sic) Yet another fan shared their disappointment: "Urgh. #Shetland went downhill fast." (sic) Meanwhile, another added: "Modern dramas are so plodding and naff #Shetland.

" (sic) Shetland airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer..