Gina Mckee joins Brenda Blethyn in ITV’s new crime thriller Vera
15 October 2009
BAFTA winning actress, Gina McKee, joins International award winning star Brenda Blethyn OBE, in ITV’s new thriller, VERA, based on a book by crime writer Ann Cleeves.
Julie Armstrong (Gina McKee) arrives home from a rare night out in Newcastle with boyfriend Gary Wright (Neil Armstrong) to find her son murdered. Luke (Sam Fender) has been strangled, laid out in a bath of water and covered with wild flowers while his sister, Laura (Gabrielle Ross), sleeps silently in the house. This stylised murder scene has Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) and Sergeant Joe Ashworth (David Leon) intrigued. A second body of beautiful young teacher Lily Marsh (Samantha Neale) is discovered laid out in a rock pool, the water strewn with flowers.
Vera must work quickly to find the killer who is making art out of death. Clues are slow to emerge from those who had known Luke and Lily, but Vera soon finds herself drawn towards a curious group of friends who discovered Lily's body.
As local residents are forced to share their private lives and those of their loved ones, sinister secrets are slowly unearthed. And all the while the killer remains in their midst, waiting for an opportunity to prepare another beautiful, watery grave.
VERA also stars Wunmi Mosaku as DC Holly, Paul Ritter as a Forensic Pathologist Billy Cartwright, Juliet Aubrey and Murray Head as Peter and Felicity Calvert, Patrick Toomey as Samuel Parr, Paul Higgins as Clive Stringer and Colin Conway as Davy Sharp.
Filming for the 120 minute drama is currently underway (October 2009) on location in Newcastle and Northumberland. Directed by Adrian Shergold (He Kills Coppers, Dirty Filthy Love and Pierrepoint) and produced by Elwen Rowlands (Wild Sargasso Sea), VERA is a compelling, character driven crime drama.
The script, which is based on the book Hidden Depths, has been adapted by Paul Rutman who has written for Marple and Lewis.
VERA has been commissioned by Laura Mackie, Director of Drama ITV and Sally Haynes, Controller of Drama ITV. The executive producer is Kate Bartlett, Controller of Drama at ITVS.