Brenda Blethyn has confessed that “it was time” for the hit show Vera to come to an end.
The acclaimed actress first graced screens as the formidable DCI Stanhope in the pilot episode ‘Hidden Depths’ back in 2011, and since then, Vera has become one of the most beloved crime dramas on television.
However, ITV has confirmed that the upcoming series, set to premiere on January 1 and January 2, will be the last. Brenda shared her thoughts during a New Year’s Eve appearance on This Morning with hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, revealing her reasons for bidding farewell to the iconic role.
The BAFTA-winning star explained to Dermot and Alison: “I’ve loved every minute of it but I suddenly realised I hadn’t had a summer with my husband and I thought I’d quite like one. It was time. The writing’s always so good, the stories are good and they’re true to Ann Cleeves’ creation.”
Reflecting on her final moments on set, she recounted: “It was emotional. There were tears not just from me. Everyone got on so well, there wasn’t an ego in sight in 14 years. It was just great.”
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Brenda Blethyn apeared on This Morning to talk about the end of Vera (Image: ITV)
Despite her dedication to her work, Brenda admitted to having doubts, saying: “When I’m working, I’m absolutely full-on and giving it 100% but in a quiet moment I sit down and think ‘have I made a terrible mistake here? ‘ and when it comes to March, when I’d be packing my bag to go up there, I’m going to be miserable.”, reports the Mirror.
She also dismissed any possibility of Vera returning in future spin-offs or prequels, taking a jab at other series that have extended their lifespan through such means.
When quizzed about the possibility of a Vera spin-off, the actress disclosed: “Not that I’m aware of. No, I’ve not heard any.” She elaborated, saying: “People sometimes say is there going to be a prequel? Personally, I don’t think they ever work.”
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The actress is leaving Vera behind after 14 years (Image: ITV)
She conceded that although she finds some prequels enjoyable, she questions their relevance to the original series. Speaking on the ITV drama Endeavour, which serves as a prequel to Inspector Morse, she remarked: “That’s not to say I don’t like Endeavour.”
“I do, and I love Morse, and I loved Endeavour, but I saw no connection between the two,” she admitted in her interview with The Sun. “It was just an excuse to make a period set piece, which I liked, but it had nothing to do with Morse as far as I could tell.”
The synopsis for the latest series reveals: “In the first episode, DCI Vera Stanhope is summoned to the Tyne’s banks where a young man’s body has been found by anglers.”
“A complex weave of broken relationships, clandestine romance, grudges, remorse, and deceit starts to unravel – has our former inmate met with a chilling retribution, or is there more to his demise? “.
Vera season 14 airs Wednesday, January 1 at 8pm on ITV1