Vera’s leading actress Brenda Blethyn has spoken out about her departure from the role as the much-loved show draws to a close.
After confirming she will leave the popular ITV series as DCI Vera Stanhope following its latest instalment that launches on New Year’s Day, Brenda explained she is looking forward to dedicating more time to her family. She’s been transparent about her motivations for stepping down from the role that has captivated audiences.
The announcement of Vera’s farewell has left fans heartbroken, with many clamouring for a continuation of the story through spin-offs featuring characters such as DS Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty) or DI Joe Ashworth (David Leon). Despite the end of the show being in sight, Brenda assured viewers that Vera’s spirit would persist, reports Chronicle Live.
Discussing the final day of shooting, Brenda disclosed: “It was very appropriate that the last day of filming was scheduled to take place in the police incident room where so much of the drama has happened.”
She added: “I think our producer Will Nicholson contrived that. Incidentally that is not where the final scene of the episode takes place. You could hear a pin drop when we were filming. Then when I heard, ‘That’s a wrap,’ I was emotional. As, indeed, Vera would have been.”
In a touching nod to those who worked behind scenes, Brenda recounted: “There were a lot of people behind the cameras and at the end I thanked everybody. I said, ‘We’re all as important as one another.’ I might be the one playing the title character but it’s only an ingredient in a great big pot.”
Discussing the collective effort behind Vera’s success, Brenda commented: “And all of the ingredients are necessary. Everyone contributes to it. And it’s the sum of all of those parts that made Vera a success.”
Although the series is coming to a close, Brenda assured fans that the beloved character won’t be disappearing any time soon, saying: “And Vera will, of course continue to crack crime in Ann Cleeves’ books – and there will be 56 episodes available to watch on TV repeats.”
In a further candid moment, Brenda shared details about which scenes she found most challenging to shoot, admitting a specific point she struggles with: “The incident scenes are the hardest because I’ve got all that stuff on the board and I’m hopeless with names.”
Continuing, she mentioned another aspect she wrestles with, stating: “Those and the interrogation scenes. One bit of police procedure I could never remember is ANPR Automatic Number Plate Recognition.”