Brenda Blethyn in Vera: Series 5 and on The Graham Norton Show

One must really hand it to the commissioning powers that be at ITV. The fifth series of Vera is about to start filming, and the fourth series hasn’t even completed its run yet in the UK. How’s that for being committed to a program and its audience.

Although ITV hasn’t formally announced the fifth series of Vera, its hit mystery drama starring Academy AwardⓇ nominee and Golden GlobeⓇ winner Brenda Blethyn (Little Voice, Secrets & Lies) as the titular detective, the actress herself has stated publicly that filming on the new series is about to begin.

And according to ITV Studios, Series 5 will consist of four feature-length episodes that costar David Leon (RocknRolla, Cutting It) as Vera’s right-hand man and surrogate son, DS Joe Ashworth.

More news about Vera: Series 5 will be posted as it becomes available.

In the meantime, remember to catch this week’s episode of The Graham Norton Show, when the host with the most welcomes Brenda Blethyn, fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, actor Stephen Mangan, and Mr. “I Write the Songs” himself, Barry Manilow. It airs this Saturday, 17 May 2014, at 11:15 PM ET on BBC America.

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