Douglas Henshall
Douglas James Henshall (born 19 November 1965) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for his roles as Professor Nick Cutter in the science fiction series Primeval (2007–2011) and Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the crime drama Shetland (2013–2025).
Also recorded as Douglas James Henshall · Doug Henshall
Douglas Henshall

Bella Caledonia · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Douglas Henshall
- Birth Name
- Douglas James Henshall
- Born
- 19 November 1965
- Birthplace
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Education
- Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts · Barrhead High School
- Known for
- Shetland
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Douglas James Henshall (born 19 November 1965) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for his roles as Professor Nick Cutter in the science fiction series Primeval (2007–2011) and Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the crime drama Shetland (2013–2025).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Douglas Henshall (born 1965) is an actor, of British nationality. The actor was born in Glasgow. Douglas Henshall was educated at Barrhead High School and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
Among the works is Shetland. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Douglas Henshall. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q722061 · wikipedia · Douglas Henshall
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Douglas Henshall • Birth Name — Douglas James Henshall • Born — 19 November 1965 • Birthplace — Glasgow, Scotland • Other Names — Dougie Henshall Doug Henshall • Height — 1.79m (5 ft 10 in) • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1989–present • Children — 1
Background
Background
Henshall's mother was a nurse and his father a salesman. He attended Barrhead High School. While studying there, he joined the Scottish Youth Theatre. After graduation, he moved to London and trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Henshall joined the 7:84 theatre company in Glasgow, and later returned to London where he received critical acclaim for his theatre work, notably Life of Stuff at the Donmar Warehouse (1993) and American Buffalo at the Young Vic (1997). He married his partner, Croatian writer Tena Štivičić, in Las Vegas in February 2010.
1990s
1990s
In 1993, Henshall appeared in Dennis Potter's television adaptation of Lipstick on Your Collar. He also portrayed T. E. Lawrence in a recurring role in George Lucas's American television series Young Indiana Jones (1992–1996). In 1993 he appeared in series 10 of The Bill. One of his first successful film roles was as Edgar in Angels and Insects (1995) before going on to star in Sharpe's Justice (1997), Orphans (1998), The Man with Rain in His Shoes (1998). He has also starred in many television series and is known for his roles in Psychos (1999) This Year's Love (1999) and Kid in the Corner (1999) (for which he won a gold nymph as best actor in a mini-series at the Monte Carlo TV festival in 2000).
2000s
2000s
Henshall appeared in the films Lawless Heart (2001) Gentlemen’s Relish (2001) and Silent Cry (2002). Roles on television include Konstantin Levin in Anna Karenina (2000), and Dan in Loving You (2003). He has also performed in plays for BBC Radio, including the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (1999) and David in The Long Farewell (2002). In the summer of 2002, Henshall returned to the London stage where he performed the role of Michael Bakunin in Tom Stoppard's new trilogy of plays, The Coast of Utopia, at the National Theatre. Henshall played Marcus in the post-production British comedy film French Film, alongside Hugh Bonneville and Anne-Marie Duff. He took the starring role as scientist Professor Nick Cutter in the first three series of the science fiction series Primeval from 2007 to 2009 and starred in Dorian Gray (2009) as the doctor Alan Campbell. • Illustration — Henshall in Series 1 of Shetland in 2013 • Illustration — Douglas Henshall and author Ann Cleeves at the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, 2017
2010s
2010s
He went on to appear in another ITV1 show, Collision, in which he played the investigating officer of a multi-vehicle car crash. In 2010, Douglas starred in a BBC1 drama called The Silence. He appeared in series 5 of Lewis in the episode "The Mind Has Mountains" and as Cradoc in The Eagle (2011). In summer 2011, Henshall starred in Harold Pinter's Betrayal at the Comedy Theatre in London's West End playing the lover of Emma, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. Her husband was played by Ben Miles and the revival was brought to life by director Ian Rickson. In autumn 2012, he appeared as Oliver Cromwell in the premiere of the new play 55 Days. In 2012, he starred as Augustus Cribben in The Secret of Crickley Hall, and in the ITV television film of Ian Rankin's novel Doors Open. In 2013, Henshall starred as Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez in the BBC drama Shetland filmed in Lerwick and Glasgow. The story was based on Ann Cleeves' Shetland crime novel Red Bones. A second series of six episodes consisted of three two-part stories based on Cleeve's Raven Black, Dead Water and Blue Lightning. It screened in the UK in March and April 2014. A further series was filmed in 2015, screening on BBC1 in the UK during January and February 2016. Henshall won the Bafta Scotland best television actor award in 2016 for his work in the series and the show won the best television drama. In 2015, Henshall starred as Taran MacQuarrie in the TV series Outlander. In 2016, he starred in the Scottish three-part television drama series In Plain Sight as detective William Muncie, who pursued serial murderer Peter Manuel to his conviction and ultimate execution by hanging. Henshall starred in the film Iona, written and directed by Scott Graham, which opened in March 2016. It is the story of a mother who burns her car and takes her teenage son on a ferry to the island she was named after. In 2019 he appeared as antiquarian book dealer Adam Snow in Susan Hill's ghost story The Small Hand (Channel 5 TV).
2020s
2020s
Henshall left the series Shetland in June 2022 and acted in the series Who Is Erin Carter? shown on Netflix, in the series Murder is Easy on BBC, and in the series The Darkness.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Film — Role — Notes • 1989 — The Bill — Manager — TV series (1 episode: "Grace of God") • 1990 — Taggart — Motor Cyclist — TV series (1 episode: "Love Knot") • The Big Man — Davie Dawson • Silent Scream — News Reporter – 1963, Brixton, Soho • 1991 — 4 Play — Eric Shaw — TV series (1 episode: "Ball on the Slates") • Jute City — Sammy Kerr — TV series (2 episodes) • Boon — Johnny — TV series (1 episode: "The Night Before Christmas") • 1992 — Van der Valk — Joep Huizinga — TV series (1 episode: "The Ties that Bind") • Underbelly — Haig — TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.4") • Firm Friends — Stephen — TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.1") • 1993 — Lipstick on Your Collar — Corporal Berry — TV series (6 episodes) • The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles — T. E. Lawrence — TV series (2 episodes) • Screen One — Louie Gibbons — TV series (1 episode: "Down Among the Big Boys") • 1994 — The Bill — Stewart French — TV series (1 episode: "Darkness Before Dawn") • Common as Muck — Brian Forget — TV series (3 episodes) • Rab C. Nesbitt — Donny — TV series (1 episode: "More") • Rose Red — Man — Short • 1995 — Ghosts — Billy — TV series (1 episode: "Three Miles Up") • Angels & Insects — Edgar Alabaster • 1996 — Screen Two — Clive Colville — TV series (1 episode: "Crossing the Floor") • Thief Takers — Paul Valera — TV series (1 episode: "Nasty Boys") • 1997 — Sharpe's Justice — George Wickham — TV movie • Kull the Conqueror — Ducalon • 1998 — The Man With the Rain in His Shoes — Victor Bukowski — AKA Twice Upon a Yesterday • Orphans — Michael • 1999 — This Year's Love — Danny • Fast Food — Benny • Jack of Hearts — Stan Denby — TV series (6 episodes) • Psychos — Dr. Daniel Nash — TV series (6 episodes) • Kid in the Corner — Alex Letts — TV series • 2000 — Anna Karenina — Levin — TV series (4 episodes) • 2001 — Gentlemen's Relish — Cromwell Marsh — TV movie • Lawless Heart — Tim • 2002 — Silent Cry — Daniel Stone • 2003 — It's All About Love — Michael • Loving You — Dan — TV movie • Unscrew — Sam — Short • 2004 — Frances Tuesday — Lucas Pilgrim — TV movie • 2005 — Dalziel and Pascoe — Tony Watson (including a cameo as Fagin singing in Oliver!) — TV series (2 episodes) "Dust Thou Art" • The Strange Case of Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — TV movie • Ripley Under Ground — Derwatt • 2006 — Free Jimmy — Eddie — Voice • Dead Long Enough — Styx • 2007 — Flying Lessons — Aarto • Sea of Souls — Robert Dunbar — TV series (2 episodes) • 2007–2009 — Primeval — Nick Cutter — (16 episodes: 2007–2009) • 2008 — French Film — Marcus • 2009 — Primeval Evolved — Nick Cutter — Video Game • Dorian Gray — Alan Campbell • Collision — DI John Tolin — TV series (5 episodes) • 2010 — The Silence — DCI Jim Edwards — TV mini-series (4 episodes) • 2011 — The Eagle — Cradoc • South Riding — Joe Astell — TV mini-series (3 episodes) • Lewis — Alex Gansa — TV series (1 episode: "The Mind Has Mountains") • How I Was Stolen by the Germans — Werner Kraus • 2012 — The Kidnap Diaries — Sean Langan — TV movie • Playhouse Presents — Harker — TV series (1 episode: "The Sniper") • The Secret of Crickley Hall — Augustus Cribben — TV series (3 episodes) • Doors Open — Mike Mackenzie — TV movie • 2013–2022 — Shetland — DI Jimmy Pérez — TV series, lead role (38 episodes) • 2014 — The Salvation — Sheriff Mallick • 2015 — Outlander — Taran MacQuarrie — TV series (4 episodes) • Iona — Daniel • Black Work — DCS Hepburn — TV series (3 episodes) • 2016 — In Plain Sight — Sergeant William Muncie — TV mini-series, lead role • 2023 — Murder is Easy — Major Horton — Two-part drama • Who Is Erin Carter? — Daniel Lang — TV series • 2025 — The Revenge Club — Steve Williams — Main cast • 2026 — Angh — Missionary

Douglas Henshall screenshot from Shetland Trailor for Season 1, in 2013, uploaded to Vimeo by Cinematographer and director of photography Gavin Struthers under CC-BY-3.0 Unported licence on October 31, 2015.
Gavin Struthers
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Douglas Henshall in IMDb
- 2.National Galleries of Scotland. Douglas Henshall, b. 1965. Actor.
- 3.Interview: Douglas Henshall,@ actor. The Scotsman. 25 April 2010.
- 4.Sweney, Mark. Primeval dropped by ITV. The Guardian. 15 June 2009.
- 5.Douglas Henshall: Life after Primeval for Henshall. The Chester Chronicle. 9 November 2009.
- 6.The Silence BBC1
- 7.Street Closed for Filming Television Crime Series. Shetland Times. 9 April 2015.
- 8.on the perks of filming new BBC crime drama Shetland in & around Glasgow. Daily Record. 2 March 2013.
- 9.BBC Scotland. Crime drama Shetland triumphs at Bafta Scotland. 7 November 2016.
- 10.Bley Griffiths, Eleanor. How historically accurate is in Plain Sight? The true story of serial killer Peter Manuel played by Martin Compston. Radio Times. 21 December 2016.
- 11.Beacom, Brian. Interview with Douglas Henshall, star of new film Iona. The Herald. 21 March 2016.
- 12.Bull, Megan. Shetland's Douglas Henshall teams up with Endeavour star for seriously creepy new drama. HELLO!. 2024-01-03.
- 13.IMDb. Dust Thou Art.
- 14.Casting revealed for Murder is Easy, based on the classic mystery by Agatha Christie. bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. 10 July 2023.
- 15.Netflix https://www.netflix.com/search?q=erin%20&jbv=81476887 retrieved 12 August 2023
- 16.Cormack, Morgan. Line of Duty and Slow Horses stars join new thriller The Revenge Club. Radio Times.
- 17.Naman Ramachandran, "‘Shetland’ Star Douglas Henshall Boards Indie Feature Set in 1960s Nagaland". Variety, April 7, 2025.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,408 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Douglas GerrardPerson
- Douglas HågePerson
- Douglas HaigPerson
- Douglas HendersonPerson
- Douglas HeyesPerson
- Douglas HickoxPerson
- Douglas JacksonPerson
- Douglas LeitermanPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Douglas Henshall?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.