VERA actress Brenda Blethyn has admitted the script for the show’s final ever episodes “broke my heart.”
The ITV stalwart, 78, will see her iconic role as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope come to an end as the drama wraps on January 2.
The closing scenes come after Golden Globe-winner Brenda quit her role following a whopping 14 years – with the screen star already revealing the real reason for her decision.
And while one death has been confirmed for the two-part finale, which sees Vera call for help in one “emotional” moment, she has let slip another heart-wrenching moment.
Ramsgate-born Brenda said: “One scene involved Vera and DC Kenny Lockhart, played by Jon Morrison.
“It broke my heart when I read the script and it was emotional to film.”
She added to the Chronicle Live: “Jon rang me up after it was all over. And he said, ‘I just wanted to thank you for giving us 14 years of work.’
“What a gentleman. But I thanked him and told him I certainly wasn’t going to do any episodes without him which is true.”
Broadcaster ITV recently confirmed the final feature-length episodes of Vera will air on ITV1 on January 1 and January 2.
And fans already reckon they have worked out the death twist.
Series 14 is set to complete Vera’s story, and filming of the final series concluded in July.
Few details of the upcoming series have been confirmed by ITV, aside from the cast list.
“The core regular team will return alongside Brenda – David Leon, Jon Morrison, Rhiannon Clements, Sarah Kameela Impey and Riley Jones,” an ITV spokesperson confirmed.
However, fans now think they have worked out one heartbreaking detail – Vera might die.
Positing that Vera might meet her end on Reddit, one TV fan said: “They’re gonna kill her off, aren’t they? The angina is finally going to come up again… noooo.”
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:
Devastated by the possibility of Vera’s death, another fan wrote: “That’s made me sad, no more Vera.”
Viewers have also theorised how Vera’s death might happen, with one suggesting that she may suffer ill health.
Meanwhile, Brenda has revealed her real reason for quitting the gentle cop show.
She has told how she wants to spend more time with her family.
Explaining her very tough choice she said: “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.
“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.”
