Vera writer breaks silence on Brenda Blethyn’s exit from hit ITV drama ahead of final ever series
THE writer of Vera has broken her silence on Brenda Blethyn’s exit from the hit ITV drama.
Author Ann Cleeves originally penned the Vera Stanhope crime book series.
The 69-year-old personality was invited into the BBC Breakfast studio for an interview with Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt to promote her new book.
Meanwhile, the series will draw to a close on ITV after 14 series over a nearly 15-year time period.
This was after Oscar nominated actress Brenda Blethyn took to the decision to stand down from the beloved detective character.
Despite writing the initial novels, Ann revealed that she has no idea how the TV series will end.
She admits that she will be sitting in front of the telly like every other viewer at home to watch Brenda’s exit from the role she has played since 2011.
Naga, 49, asked the author if she liked the on-screen adaptation.
“I do, yeah”, she replied. “I think they capture the essence of the books and the atmosphere of the place, and that’s far more important than details of the plot.”
The longtime BBC presenter was intrigued as she thought it was strange that the author didn’t know how the series would end.
“I guess, but I don’t want to know,” she responded.
“I want to be there on a Sunday night with my glass of wine, watching and working out what they’re going to do with it.”
Naga then admitted that she felt “a bit confused” because the author didn’t seem to mind about changes to her books, writing, and the character she created.
The presenter then asked how much involvement she had herself in the TV drama.
She explained: “I think that people who make television know more about making television than I do. I write the books. I love it.”
“A lot of what I write is inside the characters’ heads, and you need a skillful scriptwriter and director and actor to make those thoughts come across to the viewer.
Vera's Cast Over The Last 14 Years
Since its launch back in 2011 Vera has gripped ITV viewers with its crime stories - and dozens of actors have appeared in the show, including:
- Brenda Blethyn
- David Leon
- Jon Morrison
- Riley Jones
- Wunmi Mosaku
- Paul Ritter
- Cush Jumbo
- Sonya Cassidy
- Clare Calbraith
- Kingsley Ben-Adir
- Kenny Doughty
- Lisa Hammond
- Noof McEwan
- Christopher Colquhoun
- Steve Evets
- Ibinabo Jack
- Paul Kaye
- Sarah Kameela
- Rhiannon Clements
“And I love writing books, it’s what I do, and I think that creative freedom should be given to the people who make the television to do what they want.”
Ann was then asked how she comes up with her ideas and how she gets them down on the page.
However, the author admitted that she likes to write when she’s in her pyjamas, drinking tea around the kitchen table.
“You get a trigger that makes you want to write,” she revealed.
“It was [after] hearing a documentary on Radio Four, and it was about the care system, it was called Profit Not Care.
“It was about private care homes that make tremendous amounts of money out of our troubled teams.
“And I think that just makes me feel very queasy. So this is an angry book.”
Past series of Vera are available to watch on ITVX.