The end is nigh for one ofBritain’s best-loved detectives, withBrenda Blethynofficially hanging up her trenchcoat and hat after two final special episodes.After 14 years and 54 episodes,Verawill be coming to an end with a final flourish set to see the loving DCI go out with a bang. Now,ITV has confirmed that the first episode will officially premiere at 8 p.m. BST on New Year’s Day 2025, with the second installment following at the same time the very next day.
Although not giving up her acting bug entirely, Blethyn’s decision tostep down from her most iconic rolein a wonderfully long and successful career does mark a bittersweet turning point for the Kent-born performer. Blethyn’s last television role was as Kate in ITV’s sitcomKate & Kojiback in 2022, with the last two years dedicated to the final episodes ofVera. In a statement about her exit, Blethyn said:
“Working on Vera has been a joy from beginning to end, and 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 North East and our fans worldwide. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Exactly How Will the ‘Vera’ Era End?
Packed full of twists and turns set against the gorgeous backdrop of North East England and the Northumberland coastline,Verahas maintained its loyal fanbase for 14 years thanks to a consistent quality in storytelling and acting. With an82% audience score on review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, it’s clear to see that the curtain closing on this legendary modern detective series will be met by plenty of tears and perhaps a few protestations. Alas, all good things must come to an end, but the question still remains -how will it end?An official synopsis forVera’s final two episodes reads:
“In the first episode, DCI Vera Stanhope is called to the banks of the Tyne where the body of a young man has been discovered by some anglers. A tangled web of a broken relationship, secret love, grudges, regret, and fraud begins to emerge – has our former inmate been served cold justice, or does his death run deeper?
The final episode brings Vera back to a familiar place when a body is found at the foot of legendary local stones The Dark Wives – with memories of childhood in the background, Vera must work hard to uncover the mystery of why a bright young student would be violently attacked and left so far from home. This poignant episode weaves together past and present and makes for a compelling and emotional farewell.”
Vera’s final-ever episodes will premiere on July 31, 2025, on ITV. You can catch up on past seasons right now on Prime Video.
