Ugly Betty star Ashley Jensen will be joining long-running crime drama Shetland when it returns to screens later this year, the BBC has confirmed.
The actress will be playing the leading role of DI Ruth Calder, who is returning home to the Shetland islands after 20 years working for the Metropolitan Police in London, following the departure of actor Douglas Henshall, who played DI Jimmy Perez for seven series.
Speaking about the role in an official statement, Jensen said: "It's a real privilege to be asked to lead this show into a new chapter.
"There will be a different dynamic with Ruth amongst the regular characters and a few more new interesting characters to enjoy."
Related: Shetland star confirms exit after seven seasons
She added: "However the integrity of the show and the world that has been created will remain very much in the same tone as the last seven seasons."
Jensen will be joining fellow series regulars Alison O'Donnell (DS Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh), Steven Robertson (Sandy), Lewis Howden (Billy) and Anne Kidd (Cora) on the show.
The actress is best known for her role as Christina McKinney on comedy series Ugly Betty, as well as featuring in How to Train Your Dragon, Extras and Afterlife.
Related: Superstore and Ugly Betty star lands next movie role
Speaking about his decision to leave the show after nine years, Henshall said in a statement: "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.
"I wish everyone involved much luck with whatever happens next."
Shetland airs on BBC One and is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Brenna Cooper is a freelance journalist, who currently specialises in entertainment reporting. She joined Digital Spy in 2022, writing TV and movies stories for the site. After graduating with an NCTJ accredited Journalism Masters from the University of Sheffield in 2020 she has since embarked on a freelance career.
Brenna previously produced lifestyle content for Checklists.co.uk and has a specific interest in music, reviewing live acts and interviewing bands such as Confidence Man and Amyl and the Sniffers.
![Silvio Horta, executive producer of the hit television series, "Ugly Betty", photographed at his ho](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/silvio-1-1578442727.jpg?crop=0.428xw:0.642xh;0.0994xw,0.00240xh&resize=360:* "Silvio Horta, executive producer of the hit television series, "Ugly Betty", photographed at his ho")
