BBC announce Shetland series nine air date and it’s sooner than you think

The wait is almost over for Shetland fans as the BBC has confirmed when the new season will be released.

On November 6, the ninth series of the police drama will air as viewers welcome the return of Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell. The duo will reprise their roles as DI Ruth Calder and DS Alison 'Tosh' McIntosh,

A synopsis for the upcoming series teases there's drama ahead as a double missing person’s case will blur the lines between personal and professional lives.

It seems as though the case could be a bit too close to home for Tosh when her friend Abbie Bett goes missing.

Suspecting something isn't quite right, Tosh and Ruth set out to try and find Annie and her young son Noah.

Although Ruth, who is still settling into living in Shetland, is still trying to recover from a life-threatening ordeal of her own.

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Part of the synopsis reads: "They discover accountant Annie is estranged from her husband, Ian, and has been staying with mussel farmer John Harris and his two sons, Patrick and Fergus. Worryingly, there’s no sign of Annie there either."

Deciding to follow Tosh's instincts, Ruth tries to find Annie in the home she shared with Ian, although they're greeted by someone else instead.

While looking for Annie they meet Professor Euan Rossi, who tells them both he was once her tutor at Oxford years ago.

However, their suspicions rise when they discover the Professor had made his way to Shetland after Annie had left him a voicemail the night before she disappeared, sounding distressed.

The synopsis continued: " Calder can’t shake the feeling there’s more to Rossi than meets the eye. Meanwhile, at the station, Calder delves deeper into another case involving a deadly argument between two brothers.

"The missing persons investigation draws Tosh and Calder into a web of lies and when a bloodied person turns up at a remote garage, nothing can prepare the team for what lies ahead."

BBC fans will also see the likes of Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, Lewis Howden as Sgt Billy McCabe and Anne Kidd as Cora McLean starring in the show.

This will mark Ashley Jenson's second series in her role as Ruth Calder after she replaced Douglas Henshall's DI Jimmy Perez in season 8.

At the time of joining the beloved show, which first aired in 2013, the actress confessed she had big boots to fill.

Speaking on This Morning at the time before her debut, she said: "It’s big boots to jump into, it’s such a well-loved show and such a well-loved character that it’s a privilege.

“It’s a privilege to be there and to be asked to play this part.”

However, her appearance in the show went down well with fans, with many thrilled with her joining the cast as the leading role.

Shetland will air on Wednesday 6 November on BBC iPlayer and BBC One