The Real Reason Douglas Henshall Left Shetland After a Decade as DI Jimmy Perez

With the much-anticipated ninth season of Shetland ready to hit screens, fans may still wonder why Douglas Henshall, who portrayed DI Jimmy Perez, left the beloved BBC drama, reported by the Express. It has been over two years since viewers bid farewell to Perez, who drove off with his love interest Meg (played by Lucianne McEvoy) after making a life-changing decision.

In his final case, Perez believed that American artist Lloyd Anderson was innocent of a decades-old murder. His choice to let Anderson go, at the cost of his own career, marked a poignant end for the character. Leaving the force allowed Perez to start anew, leaving space for DI Ruth Calder, played by Ashley Jensen, to bring fresh energy to the show, according to the Daily Record.

When Henshall initially announced his departure, he expressed deep appreciation for his decade-long journey on Shetland. In a heartfelt statement, he shared, “It’s been one of the privileges of my career to play Jimmy Perez for almost 10 years and to work with so many wonderful people both in front of and behind the camera, and also to spend so much time in Shetland. The isles were so much a part of our show and of Perez himself. I’ll miss him and the place.”

Explaining his decision further, Henshall said he had sensed that Jimmy’s story had reached a natural conclusion. “It was time to find a resolution to Perez’s private life,” he explained. “I never wanted to ruin the things that were unique to him and our series, so it felt like the right time to wrap up his story in a way that would be satisfactory to everybody.”

Reflecting on the series, Henshall said, “I am aware we’re not changing the world in any way, shape or form, but as far as crime shows go, Shetland does really well in that genre. We tell stories that are very good, the characters are great, and I wanted to go out on a high.”

Since leaving Shetland, Henshall, now 58, has been involved in various exciting projects. His recent work includes Who Is Erin Carter? on Netflix, Murder Is Easy on the BBC, and The Darkness on CBS. According to IMDb, Henshall’s upcoming role will be in the mystery series One of Us, currently in post-production. The drama, featuring Kit Connor from Heartstopper and Callum Woodhouse from The Durrells, centers around a family whose members mysteriously die one by one at a funeral, as the youngest family member seeks to identify the stranger among them.

As Shetland moves forward with DI Calder at the helm, Henshall’s legacy as Jimmy Perez remains a treasured part of the show’s enduring appeal.