Brenda Blethyn has revealed she was reluctant to continue starring in the ITV drama Vera after co-star Kenny Doughty announced his departure. The 77-year-old actress, who plays DCI Vera Stanhope, said she only agreed to return for the new series on the condition that David Leon, who originally played DS Joe Ashworth, would come back.
Doughty's final episode as DS Aiden Healy was the Christmas special, with the character later explained to have moved to Australia for work. Leon, who played Joe Ashworth in the first four series, returned as DCI Ashworth to fill the gap, causing tension with Vera.
Blethyn told the Mirror: "After we filmed The Rising Tide at the end of 2022 I didn’t want to do anymore without Kenny Doughty... But I said, ‘I’ll think about it if you can see if David Leon is available to return as Joe Ashworth’. And so they did and here I am."
She added: "I was broken-hearted when David left after series four and equally overjoyed when I heard he was coming back... I wouldn’t have continued if David had not agreed to come back."
The actress also noted that Leon's return has helped "refresh" the series, and that his presence eased the disappointment of Doughty's exit. Leon previously directed an episode of Vera in 2018.
