Brenda Blethyn has sadly announced her exit from the British crime drama series Vera after its upcoming fourteenth season. Variety reports that the new season will also be the show’s final and will feature two episodes of 120 minutes each. Meanwhile, filming will begin this summer in Northumberland and North East England.
Blethyn has played the title role, Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope on the show since 2011, alongside original cast members David Leon, Jon Morrison, and Riley Jones. According to Blethyn, working on the project has been “a joy from beginning to end” and she remains proud of the team’s achievements despite her intended exit.
In a statement, she said, “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.”
Brenda Blethyn Has Had An Iconic Career With ‘Vera’
Blethyn has amassed several awards thanks to her feature in Vera. She was hailed Performer of the Year by the Royal Television Society in 2017. Other accolades she has received throughout her acting career include two Oscar nominations, a Cannes Film Festival Award, two Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. Additionally, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her acting influence in 2003.
The Vera lead actor is regarded by many as an outstanding performer, including Silverprint Pictures creative director Kate Bartlett, who has executive produced many Vera seasons. Bartlett acknowledged the end of an “extraordinary journey” with Vera and praised Blethyn‘s contribution. She shared, “So many wonderful and talented people have been involved in the making of Vera across all the series, but none of us would be here without two incredible women: firstly, the absolutely extraordinary talent of the inimitable Brenda Blethyn. She is brilliant as DCI Vera Stanhope, a truly iconic character of our times. And of course, the amazing Ann Cleeves, author of the original novels and creator of Vera Stanhope. We will all be very sad to say goodbye to Brenda and everyone involved in making the show.”
Vera is based on Ann Cleaves‘ bestselling novel Vera Stanhope, and is available to stream on Prime Video.
via Collider