Brenda Blethyn has revealed a “crushing moment” from her past while discussing the stark contrast to her experiences on the set of Vera.
In an intimate conversation with The Times’ Ben Dowell, Brenda looked back at an intimidating time she spent in a Coventry musical early in her career when she was scared of her “own shadow”.
She shared an anecdote from her time working in a musical at the Belgrade Theatre, when she offered assistance with a dance routine. But she was dismissed abruptly by the director, who snidely remarked, “she speaks”.
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This incident, as recounted by Dowell, deeply affected the actress, but it also fuelled her resolve to be vocal. Brenda said: “I am not afraid to speak my mind now.
“Your opinion is as good as anybody’s. On Vera there was not a single ego. I have no time for all that.”
Talking about her departure from the beloved ITV show, Brenda admitted it had been difficult to step away and anticipated that come March, emotions would likely run high. Despite her love for the production, her longing for summer days with family after a 14-year hiatus ultimately swayed her decision.
She explained: “As much as I loved all that, I’ve got a family at home and I realised I hadn’t had a summer for 14 years with my family. So I still did another series because I couldn’t drag myself away. But anyway it was time, that’s all.”
Fans are preparing to bid farewell to the acclaimed drama which has spanned over a decade, with a two-part finale broadcast on ITV1. Brenda previously told Radio Times about “emotional” scene they shot that highlighted the sentimental weight attached to the show’s conclusion.
She recounted how the script for a particular scene with Vera and DC Kenny Lockhart deeply moved her, saying it “broke” her heart.
Brenda also shared a heartfelt exchange with co-star Jon Morrison, who expressed his gratitude for their long-running collaboration: “Jon rang me up after it was all over. And he said, ‘I just wanted to thank you for giving us 14 years of work.’ What a gentleman. But I thanked him and told him I certainly wasn’t going to do any episodes without him which is true.”
The upcoming episodes promise intrigue and drama, with Vera investigating the death of a young man amidst a backdrop of “a broken relationship, secret love, grudges, regret and fraud”. The cast features David Leon returning as Joe Ashworth, Rhiannon Clements as Detective Steph Duncan, and Shobna Gulati as Chief Superintendent Khalon.