Brenda Blethyn is set to retire from ITV’s Vera after the upcoming series (Image: ITV)Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeThe final series of ITV’s Vera, starring Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope, is set to be the highlight of ITV’s Christmas schedule. The show will feature guest appearances from Lewis actor Kevin Whately, Casualty’s Derek Thompson and Corrie’s Shobna Gulati. After 13 years in the role, Brenda announced her retirement in April, making these two feature-length episodes her last. Other notable appearances include Band of Gold’s Cathy Tyson, Here We Go’s Freya Parks and Graeme Hawley, who is best known for his role as Coronation Street serial killer John Stape. Brenda’s “emotional farewell” in her 14th series will consist of two “poignant” stories adapted from Ann Cleeves’ books; Inside and The Dark Wives.
Vera star Brenda Blethyn announced earlier this year that she was quitting the ITV drama
(Image: PA)
Both episodes intertwine murder mysteries with Vera’s personal journey as it reaches its conclusion on ITV. In the first of the two festive finales, Vera investigates a case involving secret love, grudges, regret, and fraud after a young man’s body is discovered by fishermen on the banks of the Tyne. The series concludes with Vera returning to a location that holds great significance, as a body is discovered at the base of the local landmark, The Dark Wives. As memories of her own childhood resurface, Vera is determined to unravel the mystery surrounding the violent attack on a promising young student, who was found far from home, reports the Mirror. This “poignant” episode seamlessly intertwines past and present, culminating in a “compelling and emotional farewell”. The finale features the entire Vera cast, including David Leon as DI Joe Ashworth, Jon Morrison as DC Kenny Lockhart, Riley Jones as DC Mark Edwards, Sarah Kameela Impey as pathologist Dr Paula Bennett, and Rhiannon Clements as DC Steph Duncan, who joined the show in series 13. Sign up to OK!’s TV newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free
Shobna Gulati has joined the cast of Vera for its upcoming final series
(Image: Instagram)
Cathy Tyson will be starring alongside Lewis star Kevin Whately and Corrie’s Graeme Hawley in Vera’s new Christmas episodes
(Image: Guy Levy/REX/Shutterstock for BAFTA)
Notable guest stars include Anthony Flanagan from Shameless, Chelsea Halfpenny from Casualty, and Michelle Holmes from Goodnight Sweetheart. To commemorate the finale, ITV will air Vera… Farewell Pet, a documentary that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the drama, featuring interviews with the cast and crew. After portraying the beloved Detective Chief Inspector for over a decade, Brenda Blethyn has announced her emotional goodbye to the part of Vera which she’s played since 2011. The actress expressed her sentiments: “Working on Vera has been a joy from beginning to end and I’m sad to be saying Cheerio. But I am so proud of our achievements over the last 14 years. I’ll be forever grateful to the wonderful Ann Cleeves who created Vera, and to Elaine Collins, who saw fit to cast me in the role. “The producers, dream cast and crew have been fabulous and I’m going to miss them, but I won’t forget their huge talent, the camaraderie, laughter or kindness we shared nor the friendship of the people of the northeast and our fans worldwide. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnCasualtyCoronation StreetDownton AbbeyDocumentaryDramaMartin ClunesMaya JamaRita OraAlan CarrAmanda HoldenChristmasChelsea
