Vera fans have every reason to feel a bit sorry for themselves as Brenda Blethyn has cast doubt on the future of the ITV detective drama – so is Vera ending?
The 76-year-old actress has been playing DCI Vera Stanhope ever since 2011 when the series first aired.
And it’s now on its 12th series.
But there will surely come a time when Vera – or Brenda! – is forced to retire.
In a recent interview, Brenda Blethyn revealed the truth about whether the show will return for future series.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Is Vera ending?
Vera has been running for 12 years, with Brenda Blethyn playing the iconic detective DCI Stanhope.
In a recent interview, the actress appeared to question how long she could continue playing the role.
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 adds: “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.”
Is writer Ann Cleeves writing another Vera novel?
Ann Cleeves is currently writing her 11th Vera novel.
She has not revealed the title, but fans can expect to see it hit the shelves later this year.
Ann recently lost her laptop in the snow on Shetland with half of the new 11th Vera novel on it!
Luckily the author had already emailed it to herself to back it up. Phew.
How old is the character DCI Vera Stanhope?
Brenda told us: “Ann Cleeves doesn’t really age Vera in her books – unlike the TV series.
“You could say I’ve grown into the role.”
Is Vera ending? Will there be a series 13 of Vera?
Vera fans have had six new feature-length episodes in 2023.
The current series 12 also includes an adaptation of Ann Cleeve’s previous book, The Darkest Evening, which marks the 50th episode of Vera.
Brenda tells us that Vera’s family background is further explored in The Darkest Evening.
We also know that there’ll be a seventh film – The Rising Tide – later in the year, which the cast and crew finished filming just before Christmas.
The new film is based on the latest Ann Cleeves’ Vera novel of the same name which was published in September 2022.
However, at this moment, ITV1 has not announced a series 13 of Vera.
Read more: Emmerdale signs up Vera hunk for racy new storyline
Vera continues on Sundays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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