Shetland (TV series)

BBC drama Shetland is returning to tv screens soon with Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell reprising their roles for series 10.

Fans of BBC’s hit crime drama Shetland are in for a treat as series 10 is set to hit the screens soon. This comes after it was announced some stars from the show are joining the cast of Vigil.

Viewers will see Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell return to their roles as DI Ruth Calder and DS Lorna Tosh McIntosh, who find themselves drawn to a remote village following the chilling murder of an elderly woman.

This week, the BBC unveiled a sneak peek trailer of what’s in store in the upcoming series, hinting at strained loyalties.

The brief clip reveals escalating tensions within the team as a colleague discusses the crime scene that DI Calder and McIntosh were summoned to.

He remarks: “I hear it was pretty bad up there.” To which DI Calder responds: “Yeah, about as bad as it gets.”

While the exact details of the incident aren’t revealed, it seems the victim has met a brutal end, reports the Daily Record.

One distressing scene features an elderly man appearing distraught as he questions: “Who did this to her?”

Another man, seemingly speaking to the DI in a separate scene, points out that the ‘obvious’ suspects will need to be investigated first, to determine their involvement in the crime.

A succession of faces then flash on-screen, implying these individuals could be implicated in the murder.

However, Ruth and Tosh might be barking up the wrong tree as a woman accuses them of seeking a ‘scapegoat’, followed by a shot of a young man breaking down in tears.

Before the teaser trailer concludes, a montage of nail-biting scenes flash on-screen, including people running, a woman being chased and a building exploding.

A synopsis for the series reads: “As Calder and Tosh are drawn to a remote village following the sinister murder of an elderly woman. As they begin to unravel life in this close-knit community, shocking, long-buried secrets rise to the surface with unexpected consequences for all – including the team.

“In the isolated hamlet of Lunniswick, the body of the retired social worker Eadie Tulloch has been out in the elements for a number of days.

“Suspecting the residents are holding back about their relationships with Eadie, Calder and Tosh begin to unravel a complicated web of lies. Worse still, there’s a personal link to the case for one of the team, testing loyalty to the limits.”

Alongside Ashley and Alison returning to their respective characters, viewers will also witness Steven Robertson, Lewis Howden, Steven Miller, Anne Kidd, Conor McCarry, Angus Miller and Eubha Akilade making their comeback to the BBC drama.

Additionally, Samuel Anderson joins the cast for series 10 as the new Procurator Fiscal Matt Blake.

Shetland will return on November 5, with the first nine series currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Icelandair has listed the best places in the UK to spot the Northern Lights, as the cycle of the sun begins to move away from the solar maximum, meaning fewer chances to spot the aurora borealis

A UK island has been named the best spot for catching the Northern Lights while the solar maximum is still spreading colours across the night skies.

The next few months are likely to provide the best chances this decade to see the aurora borealis at its most spectacular, before the sun’s 11-year cycle begins to shift away from a stage that has created fantastic displays in the skies over the past two years.

To help travelers make the most of the season, Iceland’s flagship airline, Icelandair, has shared expert guidance on how to make the most of aurora season and how to capture stunning photos with this simple setting change on your iPhone.

Gísli S. Brynjólfsson, the director of Global Marketing at Icelandair, notes how important latitude and darkness are for seeing the Northern Lights. Which is why Shetland – the most northerly part of the UK, and one of the most remote, is top of his list of aurora spotting locations in the UK.

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In Shetland, which sits about 100 miles from the most northerly tip of mainland Britain, the regularly appearing aurora has a special local name – mirrie dancers.

There are number of other reasons why a trip to the Shetlands is a good idea.

Fans of the eponymously titled BBC detective show set on the island will enjoy spotting some of the local haunts of Inspector Jimmy Perez. Excitingly, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands, Unst, is now home to SaxaVord, the first fully licensed vertical launch Spaceport in Europe. Soon rockets will begin blasting off from the port to take satelites into space.

Head to Shetland at the end of January – which is a fantastic time to see the Northern Lights in terms of your odds – and you’ll be treated to the world famous Up Helly Aa fire festival. The event, which is traditionally held on the last Tuesday of January, celebrates Shetland’s Norse heritage.

Thousands of visitors travel to the UK’s most northerly islands each year to watch the evening torchlit procession through Lerwick, which reaches its climax when the replica of a Viking long ship is set on fire.

Whatever time of the year you make it there, you’re sure to be blown away by the sheer beauty of the island chain. Shetland is made up of rolling hills, open moors and wide beaches filled with seals.

According to the Met Office, the North Lights can also be viewed across parts of mainland UK, particularly Scotland, North England, North Wales, and Northern Ireland, during periods of strong space weather conditions. As the sun can be pretty unpredictable when it’s going to put on a show (a solar storm) it’s a good idea to monitor a website called Aurora Watch. There you can check the sun’s geomagnetic activity in real time and will tell you when the Northern Lights are likely to be visible from the UK.

Mr Brynjólfsson explained why September to March is peak viewing time:

“Iceland is one of the most magical destinations to see the northern lights. The official Northern Lights season runs from September to March. During this time of year, days are darkest and shortest, translating to northern lights peak viewing time,” he said.

“If you’ve already got a vacation to Iceland booked and are planning a trip to see the northern lights, the Icelandic Met Office provides a Northern Lights forecast with predictions for the coming three days. The map displays cloud coverage over Iceland, and a numbered KP index scale is located in the top right corner, indicating the level of solar activity. The scale ranges from 0 to 9 (very low to very strong).”

The best UK destination to spot the Northern Lights, according to Icelandair

1. Shetland Islands
2. Orkney Islands
3. Outer Hebrides
4. Isle of Skye
5. Caingorms National Park
6. Northumberland
7. Cumbria
8. County Antrim
9. Dumfries and Galloway
10. North Yorkshire

The BBC has announced the new cast for the third series of Vigil, which will see Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie return as DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre

The BBC has revealed the additional cast members joining Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie for the comeback of acclaimed drama Vigil, and amongst the recognisable faces is a beloved Shetland star.

Shetland performers Steven Miller, Killian Coyle and Dawn Sievewright have secured fresh roles on Vigil, with filming for the third series currently taking place in Svalbard and Scotland.

As previously confirmed, Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie are back as DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre.

The six-episode series will witness the pair tackling a fresh investigation at an isolated Arctic research facility, where a member of a secretive British special forces operation has been fatally shot.

The plot summary continues: “Amy and Kirsten will need to catch the killer and diffuse a potential international confrontation, driven by a land-grab for energy and resources in the changing polar climate, with both their careers and relationship on the line.”

In the first-look photograph, Jones and Leslie can be seen on set, bundled up and prepared for action. The snowy setting certainly provides an atmospheric backdrop for an unsettling new tale, reports the Daily Record.

Gary Lewis is back reprising his character as Detective Superintendent Robertson, who has featured throughout every series of Vigil to date.

Dominic Mafham also makes his return as Sir Ian Downing, whilst Orla Russell comes back as Poppy, Amy and Kirsten’s daughter.

The fresh cast for the third series additionally features Jeppe Beck Laursen, Tornike Gogrichiani, Benjamin Wainwright, Artur Zai Barrera, Jordan Duvigneau and Kaisa Hammarlund. As well as Adam Fidusiewicz, Naomi Yang, Eric Godon, Conor Berry, Amy Manson, Jason Tobin, Steven Cree, Derek Riddell, Alma Prelec and Shereen Cutkelvin.

Specifics surrounding their individual characters are being kept secret, though we can expect they’ll all become embroiled in the fresh mystery and potentially find themselves under scrutiny.

Following the announcement that filming had commenced alongside the new ensemble, writer Tom Edge commented: “I’m grateful to the BBC and World Productions for backing the ambition of a story that takes Vigil to the Arctic.

“This series grapples with the issues that will define tomorrow’s world: melting ice caps, conflict over resources, energy wars, and lives put at risk in pursuit of peace and profits.”

Jake Lushington, executive producer for World Productions, remarked: “We are thrilled to be kicking off filming series three of Vigil with Suranne and Rose in the epic arctic landscapes of Svalbard and welcome our most multinational cast to date, as well as featuring new and established Scottish talent.”

Vigil seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.