Brenda Blethyn has heaped praise on a Northumberland pub and its 'vey hospitable' staff and customers after the popular watering hole had a name change to play a crucial part in Vera's new series.
Fans have had to wait for nearly a year to get a new Vera fix, with the remainder of series 11 unexpectedly pulled from ITV at the start of 2022, despite the fact there were two episodes remaining. After being kept in the dark for ages on when Vera would be back and what happened to the 'missing' episodes, there was big news last week when ITV announced that the long-running crime drama would make its return on Sunday, January 15.
Vera, a huge ratings winner for ITV for over a decade now, will occupy it usual 8pm Sunday night slot for the next six weeks, as viewers can expect to enjoy six feature length stories, based on the books of Tyneside based author Ann Cleeves.
The first two will be the final chapters of series 11: Vital Signs and The Way the Wind Blows, which will be followed by the first four episodes of series 12.
READ MORE: Where is Vera filmed? New series and past locations used in the ITV drama
There was much intrigue amongst lovers of DCI Stanhope et al at the end end of last year when both writer Ann and Brenda's on-screen sidekick Kenny Doughty, revealed that the Vera cast and crew had reunited for 'something special,' as filming took place in Corbridge and on Holy Island.
Brenda often waxes lyrical on her live for the North East and its people when asked about filming Vera and, as fans gear up to see her in sleuthing action, again she shared her delight at getting to do some exploring on Holy Island and going in The Ship Inn.
Speaking to ITV, she vsaid: "“I have to pinch myself every time we drive across that causeway to Holy Island. It is so lovely. But having filmed scenes for Vera on Holy Island over the years, working on The Rising Tide was the first time I’ve actually been into the village there and the little harbour and jetty itself, because I’m always up to my eyeballs in work at the location on the island we use for the exterior of Vera’s house."
She added: "I also went out on a boat from Holy Island this time. It was great but absolutely freezing cold on the boat. Among the locations we filmed at was The Ship pub which is The Seahorse in the story. The people there were very hospitable."
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