Brenda Blethyn addresses future as Vera: "It depends on COVID"

It's definitely a possibility, according to star Brenda Blethyn. “At the end of filming every season I think, ‘Oh, thank the Lord I’m going home. Never again’," she said. "But it’s like having a lovely slap-up meal. You’ve eaten too much. You couldn’t eat another morsel. And you’re shown the menu again. ‘Take it away, take it away!' But then a week later you get hungry again."

She added: "By the time I go back to Newcastle again I’m always very much looking forward to it."

However, there is another element that could potentially get in the way of Vera season 12. "It rather depends on the COVID situation and putting my priorities in order,” Blethyn explained.

Many changes had to be made to go ahead with the two episodes filmed at the height of the pandemic, including regular testing, sanitising sets and getting creative with filming interviewing scenes.

In terms of plot, however, there's certainly plenty of ground to cover, with Anne Cleeves' latest Vera novel arriving in 2020. “The Darkest Evening is a great read. A terrific story. Telling a little more of Vera’s background," Blethyn said. "I would love to film it one day. There is a lot of snow in it so it would be a great Christmas special. And I mean a LOT of snow. Scotland maybe. Or Iceland? Or what about Norway? That’d be nice.”

Vera will return to ITV at 8pm on the 29th August. Looking for something else to watch? Plan your viewing with our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.