Actor Douglas Henshall’s TV Roles

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(This post was updated on May 4, 2025)

Actor Douglas Henshall is perhaps best known for his TV role as Jimmy Perez in Shetland. But he has played many characters in his illustrious career.

In the BBC crime drama series, he investigates crimes in the remote and picturesque Shetland Islands. The show received critical acclaim, and Henshall’s portrayal of Jimmy Pérez earned him a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor in 2016. 

Douglas Henshall’s departure from his role in Shetland, which he starred in from 2013 to 2022, left DI Jimmy Perez fans heartbroken.

This is what the actor said about leaving “Shetland” in season 7:

“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.”

“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.”

Other TV Roles For Douglas Henshall:

Below are some of the roles Henshall has played over the years. From playing good guy to bad guy characters, he is an outstanding performer.

Who Is Erin Carter?

Douglas played Daniel Long in the female-led action-adventure film “Who Is Erin Carter?”

The series centered around a British teacher in Spain named Erin Collantes, who is involved in a supermarket robbery. Erin tries to clear her name and protect her family, but no one seems to know if she is really who she claims to be.

“Who is Erin Carter?” was released on Netflix on August 24th, 2023.

Douglas Henshall in Black Work:

Henshall starred in the British detective thriller “Black Work”, which premiered on ITV on June 21, 2015. The series, also starred Sheridan Smith, aired three episodes.

Anna Karenina:

Henshall played Levin in “Anna Karenina” in 2000. In this stunning adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s powerful tale of love, marriage, and betrayal in imperial Russia, a woman risks everything to follow her heart.

Actor Douglas Henshall’s TV Role In Primeval:

In “Primeval,” Henshall played the lead role of a paleontologist, Professor Nick Cutter, who studies prehistoric creatures. He left the show during the third season, leading to extensive plot rewrites.

Actor Douglas Henshall’s Role In Collision:

I enjoyed watching Douglas Henshall in the 2009 TV series “Collision.” It is the story of a major road accident—a group of people who have never met but share one defining moment that will change their lives.

The Silence:

In 2010, Henshall played DCI Jim Edwards in “The Silence,” who takes on the homicide investigation of a murdered policewoman. However, he has no idea how it will impact his relationship with his family.

When it transpires that his deaf niece, Amelia, witnessed the murder, it puts enormous pressure on Jim.

Outlander:

Henshall had a recurring role in the historical romance “Outlander” in 2014.

Henshall portrayed Taran MacQuarrie. However, his story came to a brutal and unexpected end in the early days of the romantic drama.

Douglas Henshall’s Role In Murder Is Easy:

In BBC’s Agatha Christie adaptation, “Murder Is Easy,” Douglas Henshall plays Major Horton, a key character.

In Plain Sight:

Based on a true story, “In Plain Sight” is a three-part miniseries about Lanarkshire Detective William Muncie and his quest to bring to justice notorious serial killer and rapist Peter Manuel, dubbed the “Beast of Birkenshaw.”

Douglas Henshall In Angh:

In 2025, Douglas Henshall will star in “Angh,” a new indie period drama set in 1960s Nagaland, India. He plays a pivotal role in the story of a Konyak chief who must choose between survival and staying true to his ancestral traditions after an American missionary arrives and threatens his people’s identity.

Henshall will be joined in the cast by an ensemble primarily made up of first-time local actors from Nagaland in what is being billed as a milestone for Naga cinema.

It is set in 1960s Nagaland, eastern India.

Douglas Henshall’s Famous Wife:

Actor Douglas Henshall also has a famous wife. He is married to playwright and screenwriter Tena Štivičić, who hails from Zagreb, Croatia. She has written plays in both her native language and English.

It isn’t clear how they met, but the couple decided to marry in a spur-of-the-moment ceremony in Las Vegas in 2010. They welcomed their only child, daughter Anja Grace, at the end of 2016.

In 2020, Tena wrote a comedic piece called Wednesday inspired by their relationship, specifically their lockdown experience.