Brenda Blethyn on Vera, as the long-running series comes to an end
After 14 series, ITV’s hugely popular show Vera is coming to an end.
The crime drama series, based on Ann Cleeves’ series of books, stars Oscar-nominated and BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning actress Brenda Blethyn OBE as DCI Vera Stanhope.
But, at 78 years old, Brenda has decided it’s time to hang up Vera’s iconic trench coat and hat. Series 14 will be the final one, and will consist of two 120-minute episodes, which are due to air in early 2025.
At an event called Vera: End Of An Era at the BFI on London’s South Bank on Tuesday 5 November, in front of a room full of fans, Brenda looked back on her time playing the detective for nearly 14 years, as well as hinting at what the final series might hold in store.
“I was thinking about retiring at the time,” she said of receiving the offer to play Vera all those years ago. “I wasn’t familiar with Ann’s work at the time, so I bought [her novel] The Crow Trap, which introduces the character. I was halfway through it and this character’s not mentioned. I thought it must be a little cameo part.
“But then it came to a bit where the door of the church opened and in lumbered this great lummox of a woman, looking like a bag lady, and that was Vera Stanhope. I thought, ‘Why have they thought of me?’ Then I read on and I absolutely loved the character, so I was thrilled to bits [to be offered the part].”
The image of Vera in her dark green hat and trench coat is utterly iconic, and Brenda explained the reason behind this particular wardrobe choice.
“In Ann’s books, Vera… has a mild skin problem, so she didn’t like to spend time in the sun... So the hat is a nod to that, to Ann; and also the scarf, just to keep the sun off a little bit.”
With the series shown all over the world, Brenda understandably gets recognised far and wide. She said there are “not very many places” she can go without being recognised by fans, but she understands it’s because she’s “in somebody's front room every week”.
As for the upcoming final season, Brenda teased what might be in store. When asked whether she’ll be killed off, Brenda replied, “No comment,” and, “I'm not going to tell you.”
But she did share some insight into what storylines viewers can expect. “I will tell you there’s trouble with [Detective Inspector] Joe Ashworth,” she said. “Joe has something going on that he doesn’t want to talk about and Vera is anxious to get to the bottom of that.
“We know he came back to the area because his father was ill. He passed away – we’ve already seen that. Joe doesn’t seem to have come out of that dungeon and Vera’s concerned about that.”
Brenda added that Vera also has some big questions of her own that need addressing. “Meanwhile, Vera’s superior, the Chief Inspector, wants to promote her, and so it’s a big decision for Vera to make.”
The 14th and final series of Vera will air on ITV1 in early 2025, along with a special one-off documentary Vera… Farewell Pet to celebrate the much-loved series, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and crew.
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