Returning: Vera

Season 6 of Vera, with Brenda Blethyn, premieres on ABC in March.

This screened on Pay TV in February last year.

Award-winning actress Brenda Blethyn OBE returns as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in series six of the crime drama inspired by the characters and best-selling novels of Ann Cleves, and set in contemporary Northumberland and Newcastle.

Brenda is reunited with co-stars Kenny Doughty as DS Aiden Healy, Cush Jumbo as DC Bethany Whelan, Jon Morrison as DC Kenny Lockhart, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Dr Marcus the pathologist, Lisa Hammond as Helen Milton and Riley Jones as DC Mark Edwards, the youngster of the team.

In the first episode, Dark Road, Vera investigates the mysterious death of Anne-Marie Richards, whose body is discovered by a young girl on the wild and desolate Northumberland moors. Anne-Marie had recently returned from Scotland to attempt a reconciliation with her two daughters.

A 999 call on the night of the murder and the disturbed state of her cottage suggest she may have been abducted by someone she knew. The fractious relationship between the victim and her family arouses Vera’s suspicions. Who has been posting abusive comments about Anne-Marie online and what was her connection to the Newcastle businessman who has been spending time on the coast?

Ultimately, this case will have a long-term effect on Vera and all of her team.

8:30pm Sunday March 5 on ABC.