Vera Christmas special 2023 cast: Who stars in the ITV detective show?
VERA returns for the highly anticipated Christmas Special — The Rising Tide.
But who is in the cast for the festive episode, and what time will it be broadcast?
Who is in the cast of the Vera Christmas special?
Critically acclaimed detective series Vera returns to our screens with a breathtaking festive instalment based on bestselling author Ann Cleeves' tenth novel The Rising Tide, which was filmed on Lindisfarne in Northumberland — otherwise known as Holy Island.
Here's who will be starring in the Christmas special:
Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Blethyn returns as the eponymous Vera Stanhope for the Christmas special.
Speaking about filming on Holy Island, she said: “It was lovely filming on Holy Island. It’s such a special place and everyone is so friendly.
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"But we filmed this in November and December of 2022 and it was very cold. The tide is still in when Vera gets the call about the death so she has to travel on a pilot boat to the island.
"I was actually out on the boat but I’m not sure you see that in the final edit. There will have been some priceless footage on the boat but they’ve had to cut it for time reasons.
“But you do see Vera walking up the Holy Island harbour steps from the boat with her mac flapping around in a strong wind. We couldn’t risk losing Vera’s hat at sea so it was kept firmly in place at all times.
"The hat was pulled down securely on my head with some elastic pushed inside the hat and then under my chin. A very good practical solution which you can’t see because the elastic is flesh coloured and it fits into the shape of my jaw.
“So I just pulled the hat down and made sure it didn’t blow off into the North Sea. We couldn’t use hat pins because if the wind is really strong and the hat takes off it is pulling on your hair. Like being scalped! So we used a crafty bit of elastic under the chin.”
Kenny Doughty
Kenny Doughty makes a bittersweet return as Detective Sergeant Aiden Healy — his final outing as the character.
Speaking about leaving the show, he said: "I made the decision before we started filming series 12. That was initially going to be the four films screened at the start of 2023.
"But then halfway through filming they said, 'Can we do a Christmas special, as well?' So it was a long goodbye, with The Rising Tide being my last episode filmed in November and December 2022.
"There were lots of personal and professional reasons why I wanted to move on.
"I have loved doing Vera, 100 per cent. It has been a life-changing job for so many reasons. Including working with Brenda Blethyn and in the North East. I feel like an honorary Geordie!"
Who else is in the cast?
The rest of the festive cast is as follows:
- Clare Holman — Annie Laidlore
- Adrian Mills — Rick Kelsall
- Phil Cornwell — Philip Robson
- Suzette Llewellyn — Louisa Hampton
- Brian Bovell — Sam Hampton
- Orlessa Altass — Yaz Kaur
- Adrian Rawlins — Daniel Rede
- Kate Isitt — Charlotte Thomas
- Felicity Dean — Cecilia
- Martin Turner — Gordon Stanwick
- Eric Richard — Isaiah Thomas
- Phillippa Wilson — Ellie Thomas
- Natasha Patel — Pamela
- Sara Powell — Katherine Willmore
- Cora Kirk — Eliza Willmore
- Liz Crowther — Judith Sinclair
- Sam Halfpenny — Superintendent Watkins
- Peter Peverley plays Jacob
When is the Vera Christmas special on ITV?
Vera's Christmas special will be broadcast on Boxing Day.
Read more on The Sun
The show starts at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Series 1-12 are also available on the channel's streaming service ITVX.