Actor David Leon has only recently returned to ITV show Vera, but could his character Joe Ashworth eventually replace her?
David originally played the role in the very first series of Vera in 2011. He stayed for four series, until 2014, when he left to pursue other projects.
In the interim, he starred in TV series The Refugees, In the Dark, and Gold Digger. He even popped up in Silent Witness in 2022, playing Oscar Harris in the five Amanda Burton episodes.
However, after nearly 10 years away, the actor has returned to the popular ITV detective show. And Joe has his eyes firmly set on the future…
Actor David Leon returns to Vera as Joe Ashworth
Vera fans were sad to hear that sidekick DS Aiden Healy, played by Kenny Doughty, would be leaving the show at the end of 2023. In fact, his last episode was The Rising Tide, which aired on Boxing Day.
However, the news was bittersweet as ITV announced that David Leon would be returning as Joe Ashworth in series 13. He made his comeback on the first episode of the new season, entitled Fast Love. He’s had a promotion and is now a Detective Inspector who’s tasked with checking Vera and her team are up to standard. Goes without saying that his presence went down like a bowl of cold sick with Vera.
Since we last saw him, he’s spent some time with the MET in London, is shocked to see how behind-the-times Vera’s team is…
Fans were thrilled to have him back, with one calling it “a very welcome return”. Another said: “It was great to see David Leon back on our screens last night in #Vera, making a splash with his return as Joe Ashworth! Well done David.”
David himself said: “I’m thrilled to be returning to Vera. It’s fantastic to be back in the North East and reunited with Brenda and the crew for the new series. I’m looking forward to exploring the relationship between Joe and Vera as they make up for lost time.”
Vera ‘coming to the end of her time in the police force’
Speaking recently to RadioTimes.com, David Leon spoke about the dynamics between Vera and Joe. He hinted that the detective’s time in the force may be coming to an end. Sob!
He said: “It’s not just that Joe’s evolved and grown, Vera has also. I think they find themselves in very different stages of life. His kids are pretty much grown up at this point. And she’s perhaps coming to the end of her time in the police force, and there’s a natural sense of there being a rebalancing.”
The prospect of Brenda Blethyn leaving the show as Vera is inconceivable. After all, the series IS her. However, there will come a point where the actress – and the character – may retire.
But could the series continue without her, or could we be looking forward to a spin-off with David Leon’s Joe at the helm?
Is Brenda Blethyn leaving Vera?
Vera actress Brenda Blethyn recently threw doubt on the future of the ITV detective drama. The 77-year-old actress has been playing DCI Vera Stanhope ever since 2011 when the series first aired. It’s now on its 13th series.
In an interview in 2023, Brenda spoke about whether the show will return for future series. In a press interview ahead of the latest series, Brenda admitted that filming the series takes it out of her.
She said: “Everyone needs a huge amount of stamina to get through long days of filming with often a lot of travel to and from set. They can be 16-hour days by the time you also add on costume, make up and so on.”
Asked about the future of Vera, she said: “Every time we finish a series I say I’m not going to be doing any more. But then I change my mind. Usually it means six months away from home in Kent for me and, in 2022, it was the best part of 10 months.”
She went on to say that she misses her dog Jack, who can’t be with her in the North East for all of that time. Brenda added: “So when we finish filming, I always say, ‘I really don’t think I can do this anymore’.”
Luckily, the actress says she usually changes her mind after “a rest” when she “gets her appetite back again”. Brenda also revealed that she feels she’d be “letting people down” if she stepped away from the role.
She finished by saying: “Never say never. Things happen, circumstances change. Enthusiasm and opinions change. So watch this space.”
Read more: Why did Kenny Doughty leave Vera? Actor explains ‘personal and professional reasons’ for moving on
Vera continues on Sunday at 8pm on ITV1.
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