Vera fans broke down in tears and made a desperate plea to ITV bosses as the final season kicked off.
Inspired by the award-winning works of author Ann Cleeves, Vera has become a much-loved and acclaimed series since its debut in 2011.
The detective series is famed for its compelling storylines, mysteries and captivating performances.
However, Oscar-nominated actress Brenda Blethyn, 78, who stars as DCI Vera Stanhope in the show, is hanging up her infamous trench coat and hat as she bids farewell to Northumberland and the North East with one last season.
There are only two episodes in the 14th and final season, Vera – Farewell Pet, which aired on Wednesday and Thursday.
Fans who tuned into the first episode on New Year’s Day were left sobbing just seconds into the show.
They took to social media to demand that similar detective shows are made to fill the Vera-shaped hole forming in their hearts.
Vera fans broke down in tears and made a desperate plea to ITV bosses as the final season kicked off
Brenda Blethyn in character pictured on the set of Vera’s final season with Anne Cleeves the author of the books the show is base
There are only two episodes in the 14th and final season, Vera – Farewell Pet, which aired on Wednesday and Thursday
‘I’m going to miss watching #Vera on @itv. Straightforward detective drama with no OTT stories or officers with hang-ups or dark secrets. Need more like this!’
‘Can’t believe it’s the last Vera. Have enjoyed every episode.’
‘1 of 2 final episodes of #Vera. Honestly I’ve been watching this for such a long time, one of the only shows mum and myself will sit and watch together and try to figure out who done it. Sad to see it ending. Brenda Blethyn is an icon.’
‘Great episode tonight, kept me guessing right to the end. Gutted the series is ending. #Vera’
‘Gutted that this is the last Vera. I loved the books and loved the series. They need to make more shows like this.’
‘It’s so sad that it’s the final series of Vera But @BrendaBlethyn deserves a decent break now and time to relax #Vera.’
Brenda Blethyn was just as sad to say goodbye to the beloved programme and recently how she felt shooting the final episode.
She said: ‘It was very appropriate that the last day of filming was scheduled to take place in the police incident room where so much of the drama has happened.
‘I think our producer Will Nicholson contrived that – incidentally, that is not where the final scene of the episode takes place.’
Vera fans broke down in tears and made a desperate plea to ITV bosses as the final season kicked off
Brenda Blethyn pictured with the show’s crew on set of Vera as they film the final season
Fans who tuned into the first episode on New Year’s Day were left sobbing just seconds into the show
She continued: ‘You could hear a pin drop when we were filming. Then when I heard “that’s a wrap”, I was emotional. As, indeed, Vera would have been.
‘There were a lot of people behind the cameras and at the end I thanked everybody. I said: “We’re all as important as one another.”
‘I might be the one playing the title character, but it’s only an ingredient in a great big pot. And all of the ingredients are necessary, everyone contributes to it, and it’s the sum of all of those parts that made Vera a success.’
She made the decision to end her long run as DCI Vera so that she can spend more time with her family.
She said: ‘Naturally, I missed my family. And my dog Jack, although he was with me in the North East, but I didn’t see him much because I was working all day.
‘I love my Vera family, but I love my other family too. And when you consider I was already thinking about packing work in when I was offered the job back in 2010, 14 series of working on Vera is pretty good going!
‘I wasn’t actually going to do any more after series 13, but of course ITV said they needed to wind the series up. So I said: “Oh, go on then, I’ll do a couple more episodes.”‘
Brenda also previously admitted that she has kept a few souvenirs from the set as a sweet reminder of her time on the show.
‘I have got the mac and hat! I think I’ve got the coat as well, the tweedy one. Although it looks like it’s been through the mill,’ she said.
The actress initially refused to speak about the finale at an event at the BFI in London.
‘No comment. I’m not going to tell you,’ she quipped when she was pressed for information.
But she did drop some hints, suggesting a rocky time ahead for Vera and her colleague Joe Ashworth (David Leon).
Brenda Blethyn and author Anne Cleeves pictured together on the set of Vera’s final season
Brenda Blethyn was just as sad to say goodbye to the beloved programme and recently how she felt shooting the final episode
Vera’s recognisable khaki hat perched solemnly on her equally iconic Land Rover Defender
She made the decision to end her long run as DCI Vera so that she can spend more time with her family
David Leon as Sergeant Joe Ashworth and Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope in preview shots released in 2011 for the show’s first ever season
The actress did drop some hints, suggesting a rocky time ahead for Vera and her colleague Joe Ashworth (David Leon)
She said: ‘I love my Vera family, but I love my other family too. And when you consider I was already thinking about packing work in when I was offered the job back in 2010, 14 series of working on Vera is pretty good going!’
Brenda as DCI Vera pictured with co-star Kevin Whately who plays Gary Creelan in the show
Brenda said: ‘Joe has something going on that he doesn’t want to talk about and Vera is anxious to get to the bottom of that.
‘We know he came back to the area because his father was ill. He passed away we’ve already seen that.
‘Joe doesn’t seem to have come out of that dungeon and Vera’s concerned about that.’
Meanwhile, Vera is faced with her own dilemma after she learns her boss intends to promote her.
Brenda said: ‘Vera’s superior, the Chief Inspector, wants to promote her, and so it’s a big decision for Vera to make.’
Vera airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITV1X.