BACK where I belong

JULIE GRAHAM on returning to Shetland to say farewell to her good pal Douglas Henshall

- STEVEN PERKINS

SHETLAND WEDNESDAY, 9 PM, BBC1 DRAMA

When TV Times calls Julie Graham for an exclusive interview about her exciting return to BBC1’s crime drama Shetland, it’s instantly clear that the show holds a special place in her heart, and she wishes she’d been able to come back sooner!

Last seen in series five in 2019, Julie’s popular character, uncompromising procurator fiscal Rhona Kelly, a public prosecutor who oversees the police’s investigations, reappears midway through the seventh season to help DI Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall) and his team explore a possible eco-activist angle in their latest case.

Here, Julie, 57, tells us what lies ahead for Rhona and reveals why she was determined to help give her friend and departing co-star Douglas a fitting send-off…

We’re pleased to see Rhona back in Shetland. How was your return to the show?

It was lovely! I didn’t mean to miss the other season, but it was all to do with COVID-19. We were going to film [series six] in 2020, and then obviously, it got cancelled, and by the time 2021 came around, I had a whole backlog of work that I was meant to do, so I couldn’t fit it in. It was as basic as that, to be honest!

I was gutted that I couldn’t do it, but it was just one of those things. It was lovely to come back, and I especially wanted to do it because it was going to be the last series for Dougie.