BRENDA Blethyn has been left "thrilled to bits" after she and the hit ITV crime series, Vera picked up a number of awards at the weekend.
The hugely popular show, which sees Blethyn play DCI Vera Stanhope, won big as the Royal Television Society Awards returned for 2022.
Held at Gateshead's Hilton, Blethyn was namechecked twice as she was presented with an award for Best Drama and also an award for Best Drama Performance.
Read more: What is she saying? ITV Vera viewers confused by North East slang
Meanwhile, the Vera production team won the award for Drama Pandemic Innovation which recognised their work managing to safely film during the Covid pandemic.
It came as the star was among several big names recognisable from our television screens to bag an awards as the ceremony returned for the first time in two years.
As Blethyn received the awards, she said she "loved" filming in the North East as she confirmed a brand new series is in the pipeline.
She said: "Thank you so very much to the Royal Television Society for giving me this. I am absolutely thrilled to bits.
"This year sees us embarking on season 12 of Vera, so that means we’ll have made 50 feature length Vera films.
"So, you can see, we love coming to the North East and that’s partly because we’re made to feel so very, very welcome.
"And, of course Vera’s creator, Ann Cleeves, lives in the North East and I’d like to thank her very, very much for giving us all 12 years of work and thank you to the Royal Television Society for giving me this. I'm truly over the moon.”
Blethyn and cast are set to resume filming for the upcoming series in March, with a the North East a backdrop for the gritty drama.
It comes as there are still two further episodes of the eleventh series yet to air which is a continuation of two episodes which aired in Summer 2021 and January, this year.
A panel made up of more than 40 media professionals, from broadcasters and production companies across the UK, were tasked with judging the huge volume of entries submitted which covered an extended period due to the impact of the pandemic.
At the ceremony a number of big hitters from across the North East bagged an award including talent from the BBC, ITV and independent organisations.
BBC Look North's team including weather presenter Jen Bartram won the News and Factual Pandemic Innovation Award for her iconic weather forecasts from home.
Meanwhile, the BBC team were recognised for their video journalism documenting NHS and other key workers on the frontline against Covid.
The Best News Programme went to BBC Look North as judges praised it for bringing personal stories to life, attention grabbing interviews and warmth of presenters.
And in further successes for the BBC, the award for Best Sports Presenter went to Look North’s Jeff Brown with Dawn Thewlis winning Best Presenter.
ITV Tyne Tees secured three awards from the ceremony hosted by Tyneside Comedian and Writer Jason Cook.
Reporter Rachel Bullock was presented with the Outstanding Journalism Award, while camera operator Paul Kingston won both the Rising Star category and Professional Excellence in Photography.
After a challenging couple of years for the region’s media industry, Alison Gwynn, Chief Executive of Northern Film and Media was presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award.
Will Nicholson, North East & Border Centre Chair, said: “The past two years has been incredibly challenging for all of us.
"I am extremely proud of the creative and emotional tenacity shown by the region’s creative industries.
“There are some incredible opportunities on the horizon.
"This year’s awards ceremony has demonstrated the immense skill, talent and imagination that makes the North East and Border region so ideally placed to invest and inspire future generations.”
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