Vera's Riley Jones is massively excited to return to a familiar stomping ground in Newcastle, to take on a role away from the hit ITV drama.
Riley has been playing DC Mark Edwards in Vera for over a decade now, sharing a screen with acting legend Brenda Blethyn as one of DCI Stanhope's loyal and hard working colleagues. Riley was a constant presence in Vera's latest run, which wrapped up in February and now, after news of a major casting shake-up, the wait is on for when its 13th series will start filming.
Vera fans were gutted to learn that both Kenny Doughty, Vera's sidekick, DS Aiden Healy and Ibinabo Jack had quit the long-running show, with the blow softened by the news that David Leon will be back as Joe Ashworth, Vera's first ever right hand man, before he quit after four series.
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Riley will be back for the new series, with plenty of fans pushing for Mark to get a promotion to fill the vacant sidekick position left by Kenny's exit.
But, before production gets going on more Vera, Riley is looking forward to revisiting his fist love - theatre, by appearing in Wet House at Live Theatre, the show that first wowed audiences 10 years ago.
Riley will join other original cast members like Joe Caffrey and Chris Connel for the reading of the play which was chosen by Live Theatre patrons to come back for the venue's 50th birthday.
Described a comedy 'tinged with sadness and tragedy,' Wet House is about Andy, an idealistic young graduate, who gets a job in a wet house, a homeless hostel where residents can drink alcohol, plunging into a twilight world where the rules about what is right and what is normal have become a little blurred.
Sharing his excitement at being back at Live Theatre, Riley took to Twitter to write: "Very excited to be returning to @LiveTheatre - where it all started! This is a special play close to my heart and I’m chuffed we get to share it with you again. And with the original cast! It’s going to be a great evening. Get yourselves along and come say hi in the bar after!"
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