Vera's Brenda Blethyn 'deadly' end confirmed in series finale as writer drops clue

Fans of the hit show Vera should prepare for some intense drama in the final series, as it's been disclosed that Brenda Blethyn's iconic character will confront a "deadly threat" in Northumberland in the series finale.

Over the past 13 years, Vera has not only been one of the most consistently popular crime series on British TV, but it has also amassed a massive global fanbase, with audiences in America, Australia, and Japan eagerly awaiting each new episode of the beloved ITV programme.

Earlier this year, the 13th series of Vera aired, and then, just a few months later, came the news that fans had been dreading; the show will conclude in 2025, with BAFTA winner Brenda reprising her role as the TV detective for the last time, as filming took place across the North East in May, June and July.

Ann Cleeves, the author who created Vera in her DSCI Stanhope novels, announced at this year's Royal Television Society North East awards that she had been working on a new book - The Dark Wives. 

Ahead of its release this week, more details have emerged about its plot and the potential danger Vera and her team find themselves in, reports Chronicle Live.

Pan Macmillan's tantalising teaser for the anticipated novel hints at a "local myth and a deadly threat".

An earlier synopsis for The Dark Wives released online reveals that the plot thickens in this tale as detective Vera is called to investigate a corpse discovered in the Northumberland wilds.

It reads: "Tied to a missing teenager, another body surfaces. But it seems that there are dark secrets in their community - ones that may be far more dangerous than she (Vera) could ever have believed."

While fans eagerly await the release date for Vera series 14, an ITV Drama spokesperson has previously suggested to ChronicleLive that it might hit screens 'at some point' in 2025. 

Renowned Northumberland spots where the cast was seen shooting include Cambois, Blyth, Ashington, and Glanton, with Glanton hosting one of the last days of the shoot.

While show bosses haven't revealed how the iconic detective will bow out, fans have been sharing their own theories online.

On a Facebook fan page dedicated to Vera, one fan shared a photo of the detective standing outside a pub named The Stanhope Arms, sparking discussions about Vera's destiny.

The fan who posted the photos wrote: "After all these years, finally got to see Vera be filmed at Glanton today."

One fan replied: "Fab pics but what about the pub? The Stanhope Arms!"

A different fan theorised: "The Stanhope Arms, Vera must have an interest in it," while yet another queried: "The Stanhope Arms?"

Adding to the speculation, one viewer suggested: "They changed the name of the pub, makes me think it's maybe her half-sisters?"

Vera returns to ITV in 2025.