One of our favourite shows over the past few years has been ITV's cosy crime hit, Vera. The series, which was based on Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series of novels, aired from 2014 up until its conclusion this year, with the final two-part series airing in the first two days of January. All seasons of the show are available to stream on ITV, but there's more exciting news in store for fans, as it was confirmed that the first three seasons of the show were also heading to Disney+ as part of their ongoing deal, which sees the streamers share certain content with each other.
It's not just Vera that fans will be able to stream on Disney+, as it's also been confirmed that twisty drama, The Tower, a drama following the deaths of a Met Police officer and a young Libyan girl after falling from a tower block, would also be available. Reportedly, Disney+ is planning on adding shows like Love Island, Mr Bates vs the Post Office and Endeavour in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, ITV is making the most of the deal, as it recently added the first season of Loki, which was called the "best Marvel show" when it was first released in 2021.
Why did Vera end?
Fans were devastated when it was confirmed that Vera would be coming to an end after 14 years, and lead actress, Brenda Blethyn, called the move a "difficult decision". Speaking at a Q&A event in December, she explained: "It was a big decision because I love the job, I love the people I was working with and I know they loved it too so it was a little bit of an emotional responsibility as well because if I stop, it's going to stop."
She continued: "I saw on the catering list one day, just on a typical day there were 76 people, so that's all those people. I console myself with the fact that there's a big studio opening in Sunderland next year so there will be lots of jobs available. I was aware that people who would like to continue on it wouldn't be able to and that made me feel sad but as much as I like my Newcastle family, I have a family at home and I hadn't had a summer for 14 years and I thought, 'Bren, go and have a summer. Go home,'. So, it was a difficult decision."
© Helen WilliamsThe news of the show's end was first confirmed in April 2024. "Working on Vera has been a joy from beginning to end, and I'm sad to be saying cheerio," the actress said. "But I am so proud of our achievements over the last 14 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."
