DCI Vera Stanhope returns tonight for the 13th season of the ITV detective series Vera. And the guest cast for the three feature-length episodes is sublime.
Brenda Blethyn will be reunited with David Leon, who returns as Joe Ashworth for the first time since 2014. In tonight’s episode, Vera and Joe are set to investigate a catastrophic car collision, where the victim was a popular market trader.
A whole host of new faces will join Vera in the first of three episodes, titled Fast Love. Here’s who they are, and where you’ve seen them before.
Rhiannon Clements
English actress Rhiannon Clements, 29, will portray the newest member of Vera’s team: DC Steph Clements. Steph loves being at the heart of an investigation, and that isn’t sitting behind a desk doing paperwork. Her enthusiasm gets on Vera’s nerves, but there’s raw talent lurking beneath.
Rhiannon is best known for a stint on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks which saw her portray the villainous Summer Ranger. Summer arrived on the soap in November 2020, and viewers watched as she prepared to avenge her father Cormac. She left the role 12 months later, having bagged a Best Newcomer nomination at the National Television Awards. She later received a nomination for Villain of the Year at the British Soap Awards.
More recently, Rhiannon portrayed Izzy in the ITVX thriller Platform 7 (2023). She also starred as Bev in the Power of Parker, Lauren in Maryland and Fliss in Sister Boniface Mysteries (all 2023).
Her other TV appearances include Ridley (2022), Big Boys (2022), Death on the Nile (2022), The Other One (2020) and Doctor Who (2020).
Sarah Kameela Impey
Actress and musician Sarah Kameela Impey portrays pathologist Dr Paula Bennett, a keen and talented scientist. She is brilliant, working quickly to examine minor details and draw conclusions, but she can leave her fellow team members behind.
Sarah’s best known for her role as front woman Saira in Muslim punk band sitcom We Are Lady Parts (2021). The Channel 4 series was critically acclaimed, with a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes as well as winning multiple awards.
As well as We Are Lady Parts, Sarah has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company multiple times, notably in the 2017 version of The Tempest.
In 2023, she appeared in Maternal as well as an episode of radio soap The Archers. She also starred alongside future Vera co-star Amit Shah in the 2022 short film Legs.
Nimmy March
English actress Nimmy March, also known as Lady Naomi Gordon-Lennox, plays Carol Sloane in Vera series 13.
Nimmy’s had an interesting life. After being abandoned by her birth mother, she was adopted by the Earl and Countess of March and Kinrara, who later became the Duke and Duchess of Richmond. She received a courtesy title in 2004 of Lady Naomi Gordon-Lennox.
The 61-year-old’s acting career goes back to the 1980s, when she appeared in TV series Albion Market (1986). She later played Claudette on ten episodes of The Lenny Henry Show (1987-1988), and Aretha in Split Ends (1989).
In the 1990s, Nimmy had roles in Rides (1992-1993), Coronation Street (1994), A Touch of Frost (1995), Goodnight Sweetheart (1995-1996), My Good Friend (1996) and Undercover Heart (1998). Most notably, she also played Denice Andrews in BAFTA-nominated BBC binman comedy Common as Muck (1994-1997).
She kicked off the new millennium with a role in firefighter drama London’s Burning (2000) as well as a role in Down to Earth (2000-2001). Over the next few years, she made appearances in plenty of big name TV series. These included: Holby City (2002), Doctors (2004 and 2017), Strictly Confidential (2006), Casualty (2006 and 2015), Waking the Dead (2008), Law & Order: UK (2009-2014), Emmerdale (2013), EastEnders (2014), Waterloo Road (2015) and Death in Paradise (2016).
In the 2020s, she starred alongside Julie Graham and Tamzin Outhwaite in menopause series Dun’ Breedin’ (2020). She’s also had roles in Summerland (2020), Midsomer Murders (2021) and Agatha Raisin (2022).
Amit Shah
British actor Amit Shah, 42, portrays Milan Shah in Vera series 13.
You might recognise Amit from another big January 2024 release: he portrayed Jasgun Singh in Mr Bates vs the Post Office. Jas was the husband of Saman Kaur (Krupa Pattani), an accused sub-postmistress who experienced severe depression following a lengthy trial.
Amit also had a lot of work last year, playing roles in Happy Valley and Death in Paradise as well as portraying Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in The Windsors.
He played the lead role of Kaan in short film Big Ears (2021). Amit also had roles in The Other One (2017-2022), The Long Call (2021), Angry Quiz Guy (2020), The Courier (2019), Final Score (2018), The Rebel (2016-2017) and Hospital People (2017).
In 2016, he was Fred Patini in Channel 4 property guardian comedy Crashing. He also played intelligence agent Brannigan in Jeckyll and Hyde (2015).
And before all that, he had roles in Whites (2010), Honest (2008) and The Palace (2008).
Stephen Lord
Salford-born English actor Stephen Lord will portray Tony Meddon.
Stephen has played lots of roles on British TV, particularly in soap. Most notably, he portrayed Jase Dyer, the father of Eastenders favourite Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) from 2007 to 2008. He then portrayed Warren Clements on Casualty (2010-2011) and, more recently, Tez Wyatt on Corrie (2021).
The 52-year-old has also had roles in The South Westerlies (2020), Safe House (2017), Marcella (2016) and Penny Dreadful (2014-2015). He played Dominic Meak in Shameless between 2012 and 2013.
In the 1990s, he had multiple recurring roles, including PC Steve Jackson in City Central (1998-1999). Between 1994 and 1997, he starred alongside future co-star Nimmy in Common as Muck, where he portrayed one of the leads – Jonno. He starred as Darwin Craven in Luv (1993-1994), as well as Luke in Wilderness Edge (1992).
Stephen’s also had some impressive film roles, including gigs in Raining Stones (1993), South West 9 (2001), Real Men (2003), Octane (2003), LD 50 Lethal Dose (2003) and Until Death (2007).
Andrew Dunn
Leeds-born actor Andrew Dunn, 67, portrays Ian Headley.
Andrew has had not one, but two, recurring roles on Coronation Street over the years. He first portrayed Laurie Dyson on the soap in 2003, before returning to play Roger Stiles from 2007 to 2008.
He’s also had multiple roles on Doctors (2005-2018), Heartbeat (1993-2004), The Bill (2002-2006) and Holby City (1992-2002).
Between 2005 and 2006, he starred in 55 Degrees North, alongside Don Gilet. He also played Tony on Dinnerladies (1998-2000) and Kevin in The Knock (1994-1999).
Most recently, Andrew appeared in 2021’s The Syndicate, playing Brian.
Bryan Dick
British actor Bryan Dick portrays Alun Barrie.
Bryan’s more recent roles include Jed in Ridley (2022), Cyrus in Midsomer Murders (2019) and Ramsey in The Split (2018).
Other appearances include Joe Orton Laid Bare (2017), Capital (2015), Wolf Hall (2015) and Ice Cream Girls (2013).
A huge role came in 2011 when Bryan portrayed Ernie Wise in the BBC’s BAFTA-winning Morecambe and Wise biopic Eric & Ernie.
The 45-year-old previously had roles in All the Small Things (2009), Sold (2007), Bleak House (2005) and Blackpool (2004).
Bryan’s film roles include Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) and Blood & Chocolate (2007).
Samantha Seager
Wigan-born actress Samantha Seager plays Kathy Barrie.
Samantha’s biggest role to date was a 2007 stint in Coronation Street, where she played Jodie Morton. Jodie was the first of the Morton family to arrive on the soap, and enjoyed regular arguments with Cilla Battersby-Brown (Wendi Peters).
She’s also had roles on EastEnders (2023), Doctors (2005-2022), Casualty (2005-2018), Holby City (2013-2015), Silent Witness (2011) and Waterloo Road (2010).
Prior to that, she played roles on Little Britain (2004), The Lakes (1997-1999), The Hello Girls (1996-1998) and The Bill (1995-1996).
Who else is in Vera series 13
Patrick McNamee portrays Owen Duggan in Vera series 13. Our Girl fans will recognise Patrick as Private Jason Curry, also known as Ruby, in series 3 of the hit drama. Patrick also starred in an episode of Inspector George Gently in 2015, portraying Kit McDonald. He played John in 2021’s The Pebble and the Boy.
Beruce Khan will play Neil Rahim. Beruce appeared in 2023 sci-fi film Coyote. He has also had roles in War of the Worlds (2022), The Capture (2022), and The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe (2022).
Newcomers Travis Ross, Evie Hargreaves and Susan Jayne-Robinson are also set to make their television debuts in Vera series 13. They will play Danny Meddon, Leanne Barrie and Alison Rahim.
Vera series 13 premieres on ITV1 on Sunday, January 7 at 8pm.
Read more: Vera’s Kenny Doughty made his name half-naked in raunchy film with Hollywood actress Andie MacDowell
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