ITV's last Vera coming earlier than expected with string of top guest stars

The last 2 feature-length specials volition beryllium shown astatine Christmas, arsenic Brenda Blethyn bids farewell to the role

The past ever bid of ITV’s Vera volition beryllium the jewel successful the crown of ITV’s Christmas schedule, with impermanent stars including Lewis histrion Kevin Whately, Casualty's Derek Thompson and Corrie's Shobna Gulati.

The 2 feature-length episodes volition beryllium the precise past outing for DCI Vera Stanhope connected ITV aft histrion Brenda Blethyn announced successful April that she was retiring from the relation aft 13 years. The shows volition besides diagnostic appearances from Band of Gold's Cathy Tyson, Here We Go’s Freya Parks and Graeme Hawley, champion known arsenic Coronation Street serial slayer John Stape.

Blethyn volition marque an “emotional farewell” successful her 14th bid which comprises 2 "poignant" stories adapted from the books by writer Ann Cleeves; Inside and The Dark Wives. Both intertwine execution mysteries with the communicative of Vera’s ain idiosyncratic travel arsenic it reaches its last section connected ITV. In the archetypal of the 2 festive finales, Vera is called to the banks of the Tyne wherever the assemblage of a young antheral has been discovered by fishermen and a communicative involving concealed love, grudges, regret, and fraud begins to emerge.

The last instalment brings Vera backmost to a precise acquainted spot erstwhile a assemblage is recovered astatine the ft of section stones The Dark Wives. With memories of her ain puerility looming large, Vera works hard to lick the enigma of wherefore a agleam young pupil would beryllium violently attacked and near truthful acold from home. The episode, described arsenic "poignant" weaves unneurotic past and contiguous and is said to marque for a "compelling and affectional farewell”.

All the Vera regulars volition instrumentality including David Leon arsenic DI Joe Ashworth, Jon Morrison arsenic DC Kenny Lockhart and Riley Jones arsenic DC Mark Edwards positive Sarah Kameela Impey arsenic pathologist Dr Paula Bennett and Rhiannon Clements arsenic DC Steph Duncan, who arrived successful bid 13 which aired successful January.

Other celebrated faces taking impermanent roles are erstwhile Shameless histrion Anthony Flanagan, Casualty’s Chelsea Halfpenny and ex-Goodnight Sweetheart regular Michelle Holmes. To people the finale, ITV volition besides amusement Vera... Farewell Pet, a documentary celebrating the drama, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the formed and crew.

Announcing that she was retiring from the relation she has played since 2011, Blethyn said: “Working connected Vera has been a joyousness from opening to extremity and I’m bittersweet to beryllium saying Cheerio. But I americium truthful arrogant of our achievements implicit the past 14 years. I’ll beryllium everlastingly grateful to the fantastic Ann Cleeves who created Vera, and to Elaine Collins, who saw acceptable to formed maine successful the role. The producers, imagination formed and unit person been fabulous and I’m going to miss them, but I won’t hide their immense talent, the camaraderie, laughter oregon kindness we shared nor the relationship of the radical of the northeast and our fans worldwide. Thank you from the bottommost of my heart.”

ITV is putting play astatine the bosom of its programming implicit the Christmas and New Year play with offerings including Archie, a four-parter successful which Jason Isaacs plays Hollywood superstar Cary Grant. Happy Valley’s James Norton stars successful a intelligence thriller Playing Nice, astir a birth-switch nightmare involving 2 couples who instrumentality location the incorrect babies from hospital. And Martin Clunes plays a disgruntled husbandman successful Out There, a play astir region lines cause dealers who determination their municipality operations to the countryside - threatening everything helium clasp dear.

Films to beryllium shown connected ITV implicit the vacation play see Jurassic World: Dominion, Downton Abbey: A New Era and Rogue One. Entertainment shows volition see the Royal Variety Performance, hosted by Alan Carr and Amanda Holden, and a Christmas peculiar of retro quiz Bullseye, presented by Freddie Flintoff. There volition besides beryllium a Christmas peculiar of The Masked Singer, featuring caller guesser Maya Jama, who replaces Rita Ora connected the panel. All 4 of the celebrities successful the festive one-off volition beryllium unmasked successful 1 go. And quiz fans volition beryllium kept blessed with festive outings for each of ITV’s favourite gameshows including Deal oregon No Deal, Wheel of Fortune, Limitless Win, The 1% Club and Who Wants to beryllium a Millionaire.

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