Vera star Brenda Blethyn issues six-word response to future of ITV show

07 January 2024 , 19:30

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Vera star Brenda Blethyn issues six-word response to future of ITV show

Brenda Blethyn has opened up about the possibility of a new series of her hit detective series Vera.

The ITV drama returns for its thirteenth series this evening - with David Leon back as DS Joe Ashworth after Aiden Healy star Kenny Doughty quit the show at the end of the recent Christmas special. At the start of the new series, Vera will be left alone and without a sidekick but Joe's return will no doubt leave Vera feeling a bit put out.

With Joe's return not all that it seems, could this mean that the ITV drama will get a brand new series after these three feature TV series - or will this mark the end of the show for good? Asked about the future for the series and if she'll be back for another stint, she gave a six-word answer: "At the moment there's nothing planned."

The DCI Vera Stanhope actress added: "But that’s not to say they’re not talking about it. There might be a winding up. I don’t know. Ann Cleeves is also writing her 11th Vera book. So, there’s also that to consider. But a whole series? I think not. We’ll see."

Brenda Blethyn has spoken out about the possibility of a new series of Vera, as the thirteenth series of the ITV drama began airing tonight with David Leon returning as DS Joe Ashworth (ITV)

Brenda also explained she would have never returned to the show if David hadn't agreed to come back.

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"After we filmed The Rising Tide at the end of 2022 I didn’t want to do any more without Kenny Doughty, who had decided to leave. But I said, ‘I’ll think about it if you can see if David Leon is available to return as Joe Ashworth,'" she added. "And so they did and here I am. I was broken-hearted when David left after Series Four and equally overjoyed when I heard he was coming back as the relationship between Vera and Joe worked so well.

"They have all of that early history together. I wouldn’t have continued if David had not agreed to come back. I just didn’t want to start another board game with somebody else when I know I’m not going to do many more. And who would want to do it anyway?"

Tonight, in the opening film of the series, DCI Vera Stanhope heads to a country lane where a young man has been involved in a collision with a car. Realising the deceased is a popular market trader, she soon heads to the market to find out what he was like.

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Jasmine Allday