Vera fans might be feeling a bit blue as the beloved series is set to wrap up after its 14th season. The detective drama, which has kept viewers on the edge of their seats for over a decade, started airing it’s final season on ITV on New Year’s Day.
The show’s conclusion comes with the announcement made earlier this year that the upcoming series would mark the end of Vera’s adventures. But what’s the reason behind the show’s cancellation?
Brenda Blethyn, the actor who brought the character of Vera to life, has chosen to step away from the role. Despite her affection for the part, the 78 year old has spoken about the challenges of filming, which included being away from her husband, art director Michael Mayhew, and their dog Jack, for extended periods.
Although the series is set in Newcastle, Brenda and her husband live in Kent. Due to the demands of the show, she found herself spending much of the year in the North East.
Brenda is hoping to spend more time with her husband, art director Michael Mayhew
(Image: GETTY)
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Reflecting on her decision, Brenda said: “It was a lovely summer back in 2023 and I came to realise I hadn’t had a summer with my husband for 14 years. Naturally I missed my family. And my dog Jack, although he was with me in the North East. But I didn’t see him much because I was working all day. I love my Vera family, but I love my other family too.”
With the end of a Vera upon us, there has been speculation among fans of a spin-off series. While there’s no official word on a new series within the world of Vera, Brenda hasn’t ruled out the possibility.
She quipped: “I wish there could have been an episode where I stayed at home in Kent: ‘Vera Goes South.’ But, of course, the series is dyed in the wool Northumberland and the North East and I understand that’s where it has to be.”
Brenda hasn’t completely ruled out a spin-off series
(Image: ITV)
The upcoming 14th season of Vera will feature two episodes. The premiere episode, named Inside, revolves around the discovery of a young man’s corpse on the Tyne’s banks.
The next instalment, titled The Dark Wives, plunges into investigating a student’s murder coupled with a teenager going missing.
Central to this case is the Three Dark Wives, “a set of legendary stones in the Northumberland countryside that Vera remembers from her childhood”.
Vera’s final episode airs tonight (January 2) at 8pm on ITV and ITVX