Shetland fans were left devastated when Douglas Henshall announced in July that season seven would be his last on the popular detective drama.
MORE: Shetland fans are asking the same question about Tosh after recent episode
The new series is well underway on BBC One and some viewers think they have spotted a clue about who might be taking over as the lead role.
WATCH: What do you think of the series so far?
In the latest episode of the police series, Jimmy's investigation into the exploding caravan that almost killed Tosh saw him call upon new character, DI Fraser Brooks.
Viewers took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the detective, with one person writing: "I'm guessing we met Perez's replacement this evening," while another added: "Do we think the new Inspector investigating the bomb is going to end up as Perez's replacement? #Shetland."
A third person commented: "Was thinking same, otherwise why give a minor character more influence on the show? Intriguing…" before adding: "Why bother giving him a bigger part?"
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DI Fraser isn't the only character in the running for Jimmy's replacement, however, as some fans believe Tosh might be the perfect candidate. One person tweeted: "I have a theory about#Shetland I predict that after Perez leaves this season, Tosh will replace him for the next season as head of dept. However, midway through the next season, she'll need his help in a case and she'll call Perez and get him to help her."
Some fans think DI Fraser will replace Jimmy
A second added: "There's been plenty of speculation about who's going to take over from Jimmy Perez (Douglas Hensall). Any reason why Tosh (Alison O'Donnell) shouldn't take command in series eight? She's superb."
Prior to the premiere of seasons even, Douglas explained his reasons for leaving the show in a statement to the BBC. He said: "I decided to leave a few years ago because I felt that Perez's story was coming to a natural end - it was time to find a resolution to Perez's private life," said the 56-year-old. "I never wanted to ruin the things that were unique to him and our series so it felt like the right time to wrap up his story in a way that would be satisfactory to everybody.
"I am aware we're not changing the world in any way, shape or form but as far as crime shows go, Shetland does really well in that genre. We tell stories that are very good, the characters are great and I wanted to go out on a high."
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