Vera star Brenda Blethyn has shared a farewell message to fans following the ITV crime drama's final ever episode.
The long-running show officially came to an end after 14 years earlier this week, as fans said goodbye to Blethyn's much-loved detective Vera Stanhope in the final episode.
Taking to X after the episode aired, Blethyn thanked fans for sharing their "warmth and generosity" over the years.
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"A heartfelt thank you to everyone who sent such warm messages about the winding up of Vera. I loved every minute of working on the series and I will miss it," she wrote.
"The warmth and generosity of fans worldwide made it even more special. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Brenda x".
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Previously opening up about her decision to step away from the series, Blethyn said that she wanted to focus more on her family.
"It was a hard decision and come March when I would normally be getting ready to go back up there, I'll probably be crying," she said last month.
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"As much as I loved all that, I've got a family at home and I realised I hadn't had a summer for 14 years with my family.
"So I still did another series because I couldn't drag myself away. But anyway it was time, that's all."
As for whether a spin-off or prequel series could pick up the baton now that Vera has ended, Blethyn said: "Personally, I don't think they ever work.
"I loved Morse and I liked Endeavour (its prequel) but I didn't see any connection between the two shows. It was just an excuse to make a period set piece. The same with the prequel to Prime Suspect (Prime Suspect 1973)."
Vera airs ITV1 and ITVX.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
