Five stars who quit ITV's Vera and why - from personal struggles to unexpected clash

Vera first kicked off in 2011 and has has established itself as a national favourite. TV stalwart Brenda Blethyn has starred as the titular character since its debut, but recently left fans devastated following news she was stepping down from the role after 13 years.

Its 14th and final series will air in 2025, after which Brenda will hang up her infamous trench coat for good. The hit programme follows DCI Stanhope and the fictional Northumberland & City Police force.

The show has seen a number of cast members come and go over the years, with many opting to leave the series for their own reasons. Meanwhile, others have made unexpected returns after bidding farewell to the Northumberland force.

Here are some of the main cast members who decided to leave and why.

Brenda Blethyn - DCI Vera Stanhope

In April, Oscar-nominated actress Brenda Blethyn announced she was stepping down from Vera. In a statement released in April, the 78-year-old star announced: "Working on Vera has been a joy from beginning to end and I’m sad to be saying Cheerio.

"But I am so proud of our achievements over the last fourteen years. I’ll be forever grateful to the wonderful Ann Cleeves who created Vera, and to Elaine Collins who saw fit to cast me in the role.

"The Producers, dream cast and crew have been fabulous and I’m going to miss them, but I won’t forget their huge talent, the camaraderie, laughter or kindness we shared nor the friendship of the people of the north east and our fans worldwide. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Brenda considered quitting after series 12, revealing she didn't want to continue without Kenny Doughty, who starred as her on-screen sidekick for nine years.

Speaking to The Telegraph in 2021, the Secrets & Lies admitted she had been considering "putting my feet up for five minutes" when she was sent the Vera scripts.

While Brenda admitted she couldn't wait to play Vera, she said that filming so far from the home she shares with her husband, Michael Mayhew, in Ramsgate, Kent, takes its toll.

Kenny Doughty - DS Aiden Healy

Kenny Doughty portrayed DS Aiden Healy from series 5 until series 12. In the first episode of series 13, Vera was talking to Dr Paula Bennett (Sarah Kameela Impey) at a crime scene and explained why she was missing her right hand man.

Vera revealed that Aiden moved to Perth, Australia, to start a new life with his family. Addressing his exit at the time, the 49-year-old revealed it was a mix of personal and professional reasons that led him to make the decision.

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."

Kenny added: "There were lots of personal and professional reasons why I wanted to move on. I have loved doing Vera, 100 percent. 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. There is also a real family connection to the crew, who I’m still in touch with."

David Leon - DS Joe Ashworth

Viewers were introduced to DS (later DI) Joe Ashworth in the first episode in 2011. David Leon, 43, played the role for four years until 2014.

The character wasn't given a proper exit on-screen, as Vera briefly mentioned that he'd moved sway after getting a "big promotion".

Opening up about his departure from the show, David revealed he left because he felt it was "time to move on". David's former co-star Riley Jones, who plays DC Mark Edwards, previously revealed to Express.co.uk that he wasn’t sure of the exact reason why David left, although said sometimes the logistics of being an actor can be difficult.

However, this wasn't the end of DS Ashworth. Following Kenny Doughty's exit, David returned to the ITV drama's 13th series in early 2024 because he felt he had "unfinished business" with the series.

Kingsley Ben-Adir - Dr. Marcus Sumner

Series 4 of Vera saw the introduction of Dr. Marcus Sumner, played by Kingsley Ben-Adir. The pathologist was a regular cast member between series 4 and 6 before making his final appearance in series 8.

Kingsley, 37, reportedly quit Vera to pursue other projects, including cracking Hollywood. The actor's move was a success as he starred as Malcolm X in the Oscar-nominated movie One Night In Miami.

He also appeared in Greta Gerwig's Barbie, opposite Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Barbie, which also features Dua Lipa, Will Ferrell, and Marvel's Simu Liu, became the highest grossing film of 2023.

Ibinabo Jack - DC Jacqueline 'Jac' Williams

Ibinabo Jack made her first appearance as DC Jacqueline 'Jac' Williams in series 8. The 41-year-old announced her departure just days after Kenny Doughty revealed he was leaving.

It is not known whether the actress felt it was time to leave Vera, however, she was unable to return due to prior theatre commitments. The unexpected clash in her schedule meant she was forced to bid farewell to the character in 2023.