Douglas Henshall has broken his silence following the announcement that the actor is set to step down from his role as DI Jimmy Perez in Shetland.
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The news of his departure was shared on Wednesday via a statement from the BBC, explaining that the star would be replaced by a different lead actor for the eighth season in 2023.
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Taking to Twitter, Douglas confirmed the news with his followers with a cryptic message. "I didn't know that this was coming out today but it's true," he wrote, adding: "More later."
In a follow-up tweet, the 56-year-old added that he would be explaining his reasons for leaving Shetland at another date. "Been a weird day," he wrote.
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© Photo: RexDouglas will leave his role as DI Jimmy Perez after series seven
"Thank you for all the kind words about Shetland. The people, all around the world who followed Jimmy Perez over the years and empathised with him, thank you, it was very much appreciated. For those that are interested I’ll explain my reasons for leaving later."
Needless to say, fans were saddened to hear the news to took to the replies under Douglas' tweet to share their thoughts. One person said in response: "Are they going to kill you off??? Oh god! I suppose the time is right-Tosh is settled (I hope!) with a baby (I hope!) It's one of the best programmes though."
© Photo: RexDouglas said on Twitter that he would reveals his reasons another time
Another wrote: "Jimmy Perez will, of course, be missed. But on a personal note, I hope there were people on set on your last days (both in Shetland and Glasgow) who knew you were leaving, because that's not the kind of emotional day you should go through alone."
A third added: "Sorry to hear you are leaving the show. Thank you for your hard work and fabulous portrayal of Perez. It’s been a pleasure to watch the show. I wish you the best of luck on your future endeavours."
© Photo: RexAre you a fan of the show?
Speaking about Douglas' department, Executive Producer for BBC Drama Gaynor Holmes said: "It has been an absolute privilege to work on Shetland over the past few years and watch the show go from strength to strength – in no small part thanks to Douglas's sensitive, intelligent and memorable portrayal of DI Jimmy Perez.
"We will miss him enormously but he leaves the show in rude health and we're extremely excited about the plans we have for bringing more of this much-loved drama to audiences far and wide."
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