Long-running British crime drama Vera returns for series 10 this weekend.
The Brenda Blethyn-fronted show focuses on DCI Vera Stanhope and her team as they solve cases. Series 10 will see the return of Kenny Doughty as Detective Sergeant Aiden Healy, who over the years has proved himself to be a strong and reliable partner to DCI Stanhope.
Vera’s team is completed by Jon Morrison who plays DC Kenny Lockhart, Riley Jones who plays DC Mark Edwards, Ibinabo Jack who plays DC Jacqueline Williams and Paul Kaye who returns as Pathologist Dr. Malcolm Donahue.
The new series consists of four self-contained crime stories inspired by the best-selling novels and characters created by acclaimed crime writer Ann Cleeves.
The first episode of the series is Blood Will Tell, written by Paul Logue and directed by Paul Gay. The synopsis for the episode is:
Vera (Brenda Blethyn) has to unravel the circumstances of self-styled entrepreneur Freddie Gill’s (Jonathan Spencer) death when his body is found by bailiffs attempting to repossess his house.
Freddie is estranged from his wife and son – Jade (Charlotte Pyke) and Riley Gill (Josh Barrow) – who are now living back at her family’s beloved pub with her formidable mother Tina Tripp (Marian McLoughlin), volatile brother Lee (Brian Lonsdale) and taciturn uncle Darren (Barry Aird).
Matters are further complicated when Vera finds out Jade’s father Arthur, having recently succumbed to terminal illness, had secretly been keeping ties with Freddie despite him having been ejected from the family.
Vera soon discovers Freddie’s professional life is just as turbulent when she learns the used-car sales company he runs with business partner and lifelong friend Nasir Ali, is failing and it is targeted by an arson attack.
Vera must uncover whether the motive behind Freddie’s death comes from the trouble at the heart of his family, his desperate financial crises or his glances with organised crime.
Vera returns to ITV at 8pm on Sunday 12th January 2020. Preview the first episode with our gallery below:
