Brenda Blethyn addresses Vera exit as she ‘nearly packed it all in’
Vera star Brenda Blethyn has admitted it was a desire to spend more time with her husband and beloved dog that led to her decision to quit the hugely popular ITV ITVseries after 14 seasons.
Brenda married Michael Mayhew, the former head of graphic design at the National Theatre in 2010. The couple had first met through work in the 1970s before tying the knot three decades later.
However the role of Vera was offered to the star that same year, meaning that for the duration of her marriage Brenda has spent several months away from her husband.
“It was a lovely summer back in 2023, and I came to realise I hadn’t had a summer with my husband for 14 years,” she explained.
“Naturally, I missed my family. And my dog Jack, although he was with me in the North East, but I didn’t see him much because I was working all day.”
“I love my Vera family, but I love my other family too. And when you consider I was already thinking about packing work in when I was offered the job back in 2010, 14 series of working on Vera is pretty good going!
“I wasn’t actually going to do any more after series 13, but of course ITV said they needed to wind the series up. So I said: ‘Oh, go on then, I’ll do a couple more episodes’,” she recollected.
Brenda has previously opened up on how the job has affected her personal life revealing she is away from home for at least half the year shooting it.
“Filming usually means six months away from home – and in 2022, it was the best part of ten months,” she told The Mirror.
“My dog Jack can’t be with me in the north-east for all of that time. He’s alright once I’ve been away a while filming, but if I come home for a few days in between, he goes mad – then my husband has a merry time of it when I go again, with the dog wondering where I am!” she explained.
Brenda admitted if she could have filmed nearer to home she may have remained with the show but she realises that is impossible.
“It’s sad saying goodbye to people in the cast and crew because they are so good, professional, and talented, and I love working with them.
“I wish there could have been an episode where I stayed at home in Kent – Vera Goes South. But, of course, the series is dyed in the wool Northumberland and the North East and I understand that’s where it has to be,” she acknowledged.
