Vera makes a rather surprising appearance in the Christmas TV guide almost a year after its final aired on ITV
17:02, 23 Dec 2025Updated 17:02, 23 Dec 2025
Brenda Blethyn in Vera
While its legions of fans still aren’t quite over the fact that it came to an end at the start of this year, much loved crime drama Vera is on television this Christmas. But we’re sad to break the news that, rather than Brenda Blethyn making a shock u-turn on her decision to quit her famous role or a new spin-off launching, it’s just a repeat of a classic episode.
Hearts broke across the world in the spring of 2024, when it was announced by ITV that BAFTA winner Brenda had decided to walk away from being DCI Stanhope after 14 years and 14 series of playing the no nonsense detective. Filming on the final two episodes of Vera began just weeks later, with production once again taking the cast and crew all over the region, starting in Blyth and then the last ever scenes being filmed on set in a make shift police HQ in Killingworth.
Vera: BRENDA BLETHYN as DCI Vera Stanhope and PAUL KAYE as Malcolm Donahue.
The last ever Vera aired to a large audience on ITV on January 2 and, with *SPOILER ALERT* DCI Stanhope deciding to leave her beloved Northumberland & City Police behind, with one of the final scenes hinting that returning sidekick Joe might take the reins in her place, as many fans hoped for a spin-off.
Sadly that hasn’t materialised, well not yet anyway, but if you are craving a Vera fix, she will be on screen over the festive period, with an old episode scheduled to air on ITV3 on Boxing Day. The episode is the first from series 12 – Against the Tide – where Vera is called to a lighthouse where a body has been discovered lashed to a sailing boat.
Immediately setting about her investigation, she soon discovers that the body is local council enforcement officer and experienced amateur sailor Frank Channing, a family man, with strong friendships, who was well respected at work. With foul play suspected, one scene sees her clash with pathologist Malcolm Donahue, in one of actor Paul Kaye’s last appearances on the show before his exit a few years ago.
Surprisingly, despite being on TV for 14 years, Vera only had one Christmas special, with The Rising Tide aring on Boxing Day 2023 and seeing Kenny Doughty blow out as DS Aiden Healy.