Vera series 9 confirmed: Brenda Blethyn returns as ITV crime drama begins filming
Brenda Blethyn stars as the determined detective - and Doctor Who's Peter Davison is set to guest star
Filming for the ninth series of detective drama Vera is under way, ITV has confirmed.
Brenda Blethyn will once again don her mac to play Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in four feature-length episodes set in rural North East England.
The first episode, entitled Blind Spot, will see the detective investigating the murder of a young forensic psychologist, whose body has been found in a landfill site far from her home in Newcastle.
Doctor Who's Peter Davison, James Atherton (The Crown), Adrian Lukis (Little Boy Blue) and Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones, Three Girls) will lead a brilliant guest cast.
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
Kenny Dougherty will return as DS Aidan Healy for series nine alongside Blethyn and fellow returnees Jon Morrison (DC Kenny Lockhart), Riley Jones (DC Mark Edwards) and Ibinabo Jack as Vera's newest recruit, DC Jacqueline Williams.
The series is based on the novels and characters created by crime writer Ann Cleeves - and the fourth episode, The Seagull, has been adapted directly from her latest book. It finds Vera opening up a cold case after two skeletons are discovered in a culvert near Whitley Bay.