Vera’s Brenda Blethyn ensures emotional ITV returns very soon | Television and radio | Showbiz and TV

ITV has officially confirmed that Brenda Blethyn’s Vera will be part of the Christmas line-up, indicating that the final season of the hit drama will air before the end of the year.

The final season consists of two long episodes, called Inside and The Dark Wives. These episodes will once again interweave Vera’s personal journey with unraveling murder mysteries.

Shot in and around the North East, the latest season welcomes David Leon as DI Joe Ashworth, Jon Morrison as DC Kenny Lockhart, Riley Jones as DC Mark Edwards, Sarah Kameela Impey as pathologist Dr. Paula Bennett and Rhiannon Clements as DC Steph Duncan.

These episodes are included in the channel’s Christmas 2024 highlights brochure, meaning it won’t be long before Vera graces our screens again.

Here’s what we know so far about the two episodes in which Brenda Blethyn makes her final appearance as a detective, Chronicle Live reports.

In the first episode, Inside, Vera Stanhope is called to the banks of the Tyne, where fishermen have found the body of a young man.

A broken relationship, clandestine love, resentment, remorse and fraud all hinder the truth of what happened.

The synopsis further reveals: “Did our former prisoner receive cold justice, or is his death deeper?”.

The closing episode, The Dark Wives, refers to Vera’s return to “a familiar place” where a body is discovered at the base of some legendary local stones.

The synopsis reveals: “With memories of her childhood in the background, Vera must work hard to unravel the mystery of why a bright young student would be violently attacked and left so far from home.”

“This moving episode interweaves past and present and provides a compelling and emotional farewell.”

Brenda Blethyn, who has played Vera for fourteen seasons, announced her departure in April this year, saying it was time to take off Vera’s hat.

In her announcement she said: “Working on Vera has been a pleasure from start to finish.”

“I’m sorry to say cheerio. But I’m so proud of our achievements over the past fourteen years.”

“I will miss the cast and crew, but I will not forget their immense talent, the camaraderie, the laughter and kindness we shared, nor the friendship of the people of the North East and our fans around the world.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”