Shetland’s Ashley Jensen Reveals Surprising Reason Season Nine ‘Kept Her Up at Night’

When millions of fans tuned in for the long-awaited return of BBC crime drama Shetland, they weren’t the only ones left on the edge of their seats. Ashley Jensen, who stepped into the lead role of DI Ruth Calder for Series 9, has admitted the new episodes unsettled her so much they “kept her up at night.”

The Scottish actress, best known for Extras and Ugly Betty, took on the enormous task of following Douglas Henshall, whose portrayal of DI Jimmy Pérez defined the show for nearly a decade. While Jensen has received praise for bringing new life to the series, she has confessed that the pressures and surprises of filming Series 9 pushed her to unexpected limits.

A Fresh Era for Shetland

The crime drama, set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of the Scottish isles, has been a staple of BBC schedules since 2013. With its windswept scenery, dark mysteries, and strong character work, it became one of the broadcaster’s most successful dramas.

Henshall’s departure in 2022 left fans anxious about the future. Would the show survive without Jimmy Pérez? Could anyone else hold the center of such a brooding series? Enter Jensen, who arrived as the new DI Ruth Calder — sharp, unconventional, and with a past that is slowly revealed across the series.

Series 9 marks Jensen’s first full season in the lead, and from the outset, she wanted to immerse herself completely in the unpredictability of Calder’s world.

The Surprising Ask on Set

Speaking to Yahoo UK and other outlets ahead of the premiere, Jensen revealed a request she made while filming to help her embody the detective’s unsettled state of mind.

“I asked the team not to give me too much information about certain moments,” she said. “I wanted to be surprised, to feel that genuine tension Ruth would feel when something shifted unexpectedly.”

Jensen compared the experience to “a live poker game,” explaining:

“It was like a live poker game — I’d do a scene, then walk off and whip round to see if somebody was doing a little aside behind me as a thing. I didn’t always get it right, which is why I’m not a policewoman, but it did bloody keep me up at night.”

That sense of unease, she explained, wasn’t a hindrance but a tool to make her performance more authentic. “Ruth Calder doesn’t have all the answers,” Jensen said. “She’s thrown into this environment, and I wanted to capture that.”

Keeping Viewers Guessing

The gamble seems to have paid off. The new season’s premiere, which began with an unconventional opening sequence featuring Calder narrating her life story directly to camera, sparked immediate debate among fans. Some hailed the bold, experimental choice as a stroke of genius; others confessed they were baffled.

But whether loved or questioned, the unusual direction had one thing in common: it kept audiences talking — and watching. That was exactly what Jensen hoped to achieve by approaching her character with the same unpredictability.

“I didn’t want Ruth to feel rehearsed,” she said. “I wanted her to feel alive, reactive. So when viewers see her shaken or unsettled, that’s me too.”

A Heavy Legacy

Following Henshall’s beloved Jimmy Pérez was never going to be easy, and Jensen has been candid about feeling the weight of expectation.

“Douglas left such big shoes to fill,” she admitted. “People cared deeply about Jimmy, and I respect that. But I knew from the start that Ruth couldn’t be a copy. She had to be her own woman, her own detective.”

That determination to carve a new path has been echoed by the BBC, which has leaned into a bolder, more psychological tone for the new series. Producers say Calder’s unsettled psyche will remain central throughout Series 9, offering a different lens on the mysteries of the Shetland Isles.

Fans React

On social media, reactions have ranged from admiration to curiosity.

“HELL OF A START,” one fan wrote after the first episode. “Ashley Jensen is already making Ruth Calder her own.”

Another admitted: “Mad and unusual opening. Not sure I understood it, but I’m hooked.”

For Jensen, those mixed responses are a sign of success. “It’s good if people are unsettled,” she said. “That means we’ve made them feel something.”

Looking Ahead

As Series 9 unfolds, Jensen promises more surprises are in store. Cases will test Calder’s mettle, while glimpses of her past will bring new layers of intrigue. For Jensen herself, the sleepless nights may continue — but she’s quick to point out that they are worth it.

“I’ve loved every second of being part of this,” she said. “Even the bits that scared me or kept me awake. That’s when you know the work is alive.”

With a new lead, a daring creative vision, and fans once again hooked, Shetland has proven it can reinvent itself without losing its edge. And for Ashley Jensen, those restless nights have turned into some of the most powerful performances of her career.