Where is Shetland filmed? Scotland filming locations for season 7 of BBC One TV series - including Lerwick

BBC crime drama Shetland is back on screens with Detective Jimmy Perez solving mysteries in the Scottish Highlands.

The location of the show is just as integral to the the plot as the cast of characters - but where exactly in the world can you in the sprawling landscapes?

Here’s everything you need to know about Shetland’s filming locations.

Where is Shetland filmed? 

Lerwick

There’s no surprises here but the exterior shots in Shetland are filmed on the archipelago itself.

Shetland is made up of 100 islands varying in size, with only 16 being inhabited. The largest island is known as the ‘Mainland’ and is home to the only burgh in Shetland - Lerwick.

Lerwick is where we see Detective Perez roam the highland countryside, with breathtaking island views off the north coast of Scotland.

Interest in the small town has boomed since the show grew in popularity, with specialised tourist trails following Detective Perez’s footsteps popping up on the island.

Commercial Street features heavily in the show, with other Lerwick landmarks such as Bain’s Beach and Detective Perez’s home itself, Lodberrie, which has since become the most photographed landmark in Lerwick.

Glasgow

While viewers are treated to landscapes and exterior shots of Shetland’s authentic landscapes, many of the interior shots in the show are actually filmed back in central Scotland.

Glasgow is used to film many interior shots, with Producer Eric Coulter previously telling RadioTimes.com: "Most of the exteriors will be in Shetland, and we’ll have some interiors in Shetland also, but we’ll do quite a lot of the interiors back in Glasgow."

This includes a scenes set within the police station and DI Perez’s home - the outside is actually found in Lerwick, but the cast and crew film scenes from inside on a soundstage in Glasgow.

In series five of the show, exterior shots were filmed in Glasgow also, as DI Perez’s investigation took him to Scotland’s biggest city.

Ayr and Irvine

In earlier series, some areas in Ayr and Irvine, located on the west coast of Scotland, were used to stand in for Shetland.

Irvine Beach has been used as a stand in for the coast off Shetland.

Who is in Shetland? 

The popular show will be wrapping up its run with the seventh series.

Dougie Henshall returns once again as DI Perez, with Allison O’Donnell joining him once again as Detective Sergeant Alison "Tosh" McIntosh.

Steven Robertson returns as Detective Constable  Sandy Wilson, while Mark Bonner will also return as Duncan Hunter, the step-father of DI Perez’s daughter Cassie.

Joining the cast for series seven is Shauna Macdonald as Rachel Cairns and Andrew Whipp as Danny Cairns.

Dougie Henshall has however confirmed that series seven will be the last featuring Jimmy Perez.

When is Shetland on?

The show’s seventh has been airing since 10 August 2022.

Episodes air every Wednesday evening at 9pm on BBC One.

If you have missed any and want to catch up on the series, Shetland is available on BBC iPlayer.