Brenda Blethyn returns as DCI Vera Stanhope in first look at Vera series 11

Vera knocks on a residential door, which is answered by a pregnant young woman, Amber (Olivia Nakintu). "We're looking for John Paul Tullman... We really need to speak to him, love," Vera says.

John Paul (Micky McGregor) arrives, but seems hostile about the idea of Vera and her longtime colleague DS Aiden Healy (Kenny Doughty) entering the property – forcing Vera to break the news while still standing on their doorstep.

"There's no easy way to say this. I'm afraid we've found a body, sir. And we believe it to be that of your father," she says.

Brenda Blethyn recently addressed her future on Vera and the possibility of a twelfth season, revealing that "it rather depends on the COVID situation".

However, there's still definitely a possibility. “At the end of filming every season I think, ‘Oh, thank the Lord I’m going home. Never again’,” she said. “But it’s like having a lovely slap-up meal. You’ve eaten too much. You couldn’t eat another morsel. And you’re shown the menu again. ‘Take it away, take it away!’ But then a week later you get hungry again.”

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Adapted from crime author Ann Cleeves' novels, there's no shortage of material for the ITV detective series, with Cleeves’ latest Vera novel arriving last year.

“The Darkest Evening is a great read. A terrific story. Telling a little more of Vera’s background,” Blethyn said. “I would love to film it one day. There is a lot of snow in it so it would be a great Christmas special. And I mean a LOT of snow. Scotland maybe. Or Iceland? Or what about Norway? That’d be nice.”

Vera season 11 will start on Sunday 29th August. To find out what else is on, check out our TV Guide. You can buy the first of Ann Cleeves' Vera novels here.