Ann Cleeves, the bestselling author of the Vera books, has revealed her initial doubts about Brenda Blethyn playing the iconic detective. However, after hearing Blethyn read a line from the script, Cleeves was instantly convinced of her brilliance. The decision to bring the books to the small screen was a stroke of luck, with producer Elaine Collins stumbling upon The Crow Trap in a charity shop. Cleeves expressed her excitement at seeing her characters come to life, but the series was dependent on Blethyn taking on the role. Thankfully, Blethyn quickly agreed, although she admitted to celebrating with plenty of wine. Unfortunately, it has now been announced that after the 14th series, Vera will not be returning to ITV. Despite this, fans can look forward to the release of Cleeves’ new Vera novel, The Dark Wives, in August. Brenda Blethyn, in an official statement, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to play the beloved character and thanked the cast, crew, and fans for their support.
