Alison O'Donnell takes dig at 'anti-hero male' actors after Douglas Henshall BBC Shetland exit: 'Dominated the TV landscape'

Tosh has become a firm fan-favourite over the years with the drama's viewers, remaining one of the few actors to have appeared in every episode since day one.

And longtime viewers will know that Shetland looks very different compared to its debut run, namely because Tosh had a different boss to contend with in the form of DI Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall).

Mr Henshall left the BBC show behind him in 2022 after seven series, saying at the time: "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."

His departure sent shockwaves through the fandom, with Ms Jensen facing a barrage of complaints just minutes into her debut as the new face of Shetland in the season eight opener.

In fact, some diehard fans continue to voice their pleas for Mr Henshall to return to this day, but it sounds like Ms O'Donnell is more than happy with the direction the show has taken since her former co-star's exit.

"When we first met Tosh, she still had braces on her teeth and was suffering the aftereffects of a night on the chocolate vodka," Ms O'Donnell reminisced in a new interview with the BBC.

"Now she is a DI and has a family of her own. Her life couldn't be more different. But at her core, she is still the same compassionate, funny, and strong woman we met over a decade ago."

Delving further into Tosh's endearing qualities, Ms O'Donnell couldn't resist a thinly veiled dig.

"She is an antidote to all the hackneyed, grizzled, anti-hero - frequently male - cops that have dominated so much of the TV landscape," she said.

"At the heart of her strength is her empathy and, crucially, her diligence. She follows the rules and does the right thing every time, even when it comes at personal cost.

"If I was in a sticky situation and she showed up, I would breathe a huge sigh of relief."

Ms O'Donnell may not have been referring to Mr Henshall specifically, however, especially given her heartfelt feelings about his exit.

Speaking to Radio Times soon after Mr Henshall's exit announcement in 2022, Ms O'Donnell said: "Dougie was totally amazing. He's such an aware person.

"He came into the series understanding that he was the lead, and he led. He knew how to help everyone with their particular set of problems.

"One of the things I love most about Dougie — and I love many things — is that he gets the best out of people. I've had time to get used to [his exit]."

Despite some members of the fandom still mourning the loss of Jimmy Perez, Tosh and Calder will be spending their time in season 10 focusing on a new mysterious case.

A sinister murder of an elderly woman leads the two to the remote village of Lunniswick, where a number of questionable clues begin to arise.

As the two get to grips with the locals and begin their line of questioning, the investigation unearths several shocking revelations.

Or as the BBC puts it in its synopsis of the new series: "Suspecting the residents of Lunniswick 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."