Will there be a Vera season 13? Release date speculation, cast and latest news

After that tense season 12 finale, will Vera be returning?

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Friday, 31 March 2023 at 12:00 am

Vera fans, assemble: the long-running detective show will be returning to ITV for its 13th season, it has officially been confirmed.

And in exciting news, David Leon is set to rejoin the Vera cast almost a decade since he last appeared on the show.

The actor played the role of DS Joe Ashworth in the first four seasons of the crime drama between 2011 and 2014, and will once again star alongside Brenda Blethyn, who is reprising her role as the titular character.

Blethyn said she was “absolutely over the moon to welcome David back to the show” adding that she “can’t wait to get started”.

There’s plenty to explore in the new instalment following the season 12 finale, The Darkest Evening, which saw DCI Vera Stanhope (Blethyn) come across an abandoned car with a baby inside.

The tense, final episode was framed around a massive storm – and with no mobile signal and blocked roads at every turn, Vera was forced to seek refuge somewhere she’d rather not be: Brockburn House, the Stanhope’s ancestral pile.

Vera doesn’t exactly receive a warm welcome from her estranged family as there’s a function in full swing, and her turning up with a baby isn’t ideal. But things start to look even worse and take a far more sinister turn when a body is found on the track leading to Brockburn House.

So, what can fans expect from Vera in the future? Read on to find out everything we know so far about season 13.

Will there be a Vera season 13?

""
Brenda Blethyn as Vera in Vera season 12.
ITV

Yes, a 13th season has been confirmed.

The 76-year-old lead actress previously sparked concern when she discussed that it may be time to call it a day on the north east crime drama. She explained that after wrapping up each season of the show, she always says: “I really don’t think I can do this anymore.”

Blethyn lives in Kent and so filming in the north east of England for long periods of time is difficult. She has before said: “Filming usually means six months away from home – and in 2022 it was the best part of 10 months.”

When could a potential Vera season 13 be released?

Usually, fans haven’t had too long to wait between seasons of the detective drama, with season 12 following hot on the heels of season 11.

If previous release dates are anything to go by, it’s likely the new run of episodes could air in 2024.

Vera cast: Who could be back for season 13?

""
Brenda Blethyn as Vera Stanhope, Kenny Doughty as DS Aiden Healy and Sarah Kameela Impey as Paula in Vera.
ITV Studios for ITV

Blethyn will return as our beloved titular character.

In an interview with RadioTimes.com ahead of the season 13 renewal, Blethyn confirmed she won’t be hanging up her trench coat just yet. She said: “I haven’t got any plans to leave – at the moment, all the time I’m fit and able, I’ll be visiting Vera.”

She continued, talking about the people of the north east where they film: “I love it, I just love it – I love the people up there, too. There is a difference between the friendliness of the north and the south, I don’t care what anybody says. That’s the main compliment really, that the people of the north east like Vera.”

As detailed above, David Leon is rejoining the cast as DS Joe Ashworth almost a decade since he last appeared on the show.

As for the rest of the cast, some of the regular faces that we’d expect to see return are as follows:

  • Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope
  • Kenny Doughty as DS Aiden Healy
  • Jon Morrison as DC Kenny Lockhart
  • Paul Kaye as Dr Malcolm Donahue
  • Ibinabo Jack as DC Jacqueline ‘Jac’ Williams
  • Riley Jones as DC Mark Edwards

What could happen in Vera season 13?

While there aren’t any official plot details yet, we’d expect season 13 to follow the same format as previous seasons and continue as a crime procedural, with Vera investigating new cases each episode.

The series is based on the books by Ann Cleeves, so we can expect a potential season 13 to be based on cases from those stories.

Speaking previously to ITV about what viewers could expect from the 12th season, Blethyn revealed: “The six new films also include an adaptation of Ann’s previous book, The Darkest Evening, which marks the 50th episode of Vera.

“I feel rather proud of having reached the landmark of 50 episodes, now having filmed 51 in total. I think it’s wonderful. A great achievement for everyone involved.

“10 of those 51 films are based on the books by Ann Cleeves. She has created such well defined characters, allowing the other story writers to bring them to life on screen as well.”

Cleeves is currently in the middle of writing the 11th book of the Vera Stanhope series, so there’s no denying that there’s a vast amount of source material for the ITV drama. We’ll just have to wait and see.