ITV’s Vera Season 13 First Look with Brenda Blethyn & David Leon
Filming for the highly anticipated thirteenth series of Vera, set in the heart of the North East, has begun, and ITV and Silverprint Pictures have released first look images of Brenda Blethyn and David Leon.
Actor and director David Leon reprises his role as Joe Ashworth in the new series, which also stars Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope.
Brenda Blethyn and David Leon, who play DCI Vera Stanhope and Joe Ashworth, respectively, are seen in this first photo from the set in Haydon Bridge. The thirteenth season’s filming has begun and will continue throughout the North East until the autumn.
What can we expect from the new episodes
In the three new, extended episodes, Brenda and David are joined by Jon Morrison, who plays DC. Riley Jones as DC and Kenny Lockhart as OC Mark Edwards, Rhiannon Clements (Ridley, Hollyoaks) as the aspiring new DC Paula Bennett, and Sarah Kameela Impey as Dr. Paula Bennett, a pathologist The addition of Steph Duncan to Vera’s crew.
DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) is dispatched to a quiet country lane in the premiere episode, titled “Fast Love,” where a young man has been found dead after being involved in a car accident. After learning that the victim is a well-liked market trader, Vera pays a visit to his booth in order to begin piecing together his identity.
As the investigation progresses, Vera realises that this rascal was more nuanced than she had originally thought. Was there a cost to his antagonistic personality, arrogance, and success in getting what he wanted? Vera is perplexed by Joe Ashworth’s (David Leon) return and uncertain of his motivations, which only serves to further complicate the case.
Quotes from Brenda and David
Brenda Blethyn commented: “Stepping back into Vera’s shoes for the thirteenth series feels like coming home again. The support from the locals in the North East is truly heart-warming and reuniting with the talented David Leon and the rest of our exceptional team is an absolute delight. Together, we embark on this new chapter with a terrific script crafted by the brilliant Paul Matthew Thompson.”
David Leon said: “I’m thrilled to be returning to Vera. It’s fantastic to be back in the North East and reunited with Brenda and the crew for the new series. I’m looking forward to exploring the relationship between Joe and Vera as they make up for lost time.”
Starring alongside them in the premiere are Nimmy March (Agatha Raisin, Midsomer Murders), Amit Shah (Happy Valley, The Other One), Stephen Lord (Coronation Street, Safe House), Patrick McNamee (Our Girl, Inspector George Gently), Andrew Dunn (The Syndicate, Doctors), Bryan Dick (Ridley, The Split), Samantha Seager (Coronation Street, This Is Vanity), Beruce Khan (War of the Worlds, The Cap
Serien regular Paul Matthew Thompson (Ridley, Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators) penned the first feature-length episode, while Claire Winyard (Our Girl, Call the Midwife) directs.
The new series’ three individual crime stories are based on the works of renowned crime writer Ann Cleeves, whose novels and characters have sold millions of copies.
The Rising Tide, the fifth episode of Series 12, is based on Ann Cleeves’s eleventh Vera novel, and will air on ITV1 later this year.
Who makes the series
Vera is made by Silverprint Pictures, part of ITV Studios, with executive producers Will Nicholson and Kate Bartlett overseeing the production. Will Nicholson also takes on the role of producer for the new series. Overseeing production on behalf of ITV is Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair-Jones.
ITV Studios distributes Vera internationally.
Series 1-12 of Vera are available on ITVX.
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