As we head towards the new year, it's a fresh time for resolutions, time with family and friends and hit the ground running - but most importantly, it's a time when hit ITV show Vera will return.

Filmed in the North East, cult hero DCI Vera Stanhope, played by actress Brenda Blethyn, will reprise her role and give fans a chance to see series 13. 

While Vera did have a festive special over the Christmas period, it has been over a year wait for fans of the show since series 12 finished. 

The Northern Echo: ITV' Vera during filming in the regionITV' Vera during filming in the region (Image: CONTRIBUTOR)

Over the last year, the cast and crew of Vera have been spotted across the North East, including in Hexham, Gateshead, Redcar, Hartlepool, and many other familiar places. 

And people tuning in for the start of series 13 will be in for a surprise, as they'll only have to wait until January 7 at 8pm for the beginning of the series. 

Here is all we know so far:

When will series 13 be on our screens?

The new series will start on ITV1 on Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 8pm, with the episode being a two-hour length one.

The 13th series will then run for two more consecutive weeks on January 14 and January 21.

What do you need to know before the start of the season?

As fans of the show will already realise, DS Aiden Healy actor Kenny Doughty has bowed out of filming of the show, with his final series coming at series 12. However, he has been replaced in series 13 by David Leon.

The actor will play Vera's sidekick throughout the show.

David was a regular cast member on the popular drama from when the show first aired in 2011 until his departure in 2014. 

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Speaking about his return to the show after nine years, David said: "I'm thrilled to be returning to Vera. It's fantastic to be back in the North East and reunited with Brenda and the crew for the new series. I'm looking forward to exploring the relationship between Joe and Vera as they make up for lost time."

What about other cast members?

Starring alongside Brenda and David are returning cast members Jon Morrison as DC Kenny Lockhart, Riley Jones as DC Mark Edwards, and Sarah Kameela Impey as Pathologist Dr. Paula Bennett.

Fans can also expect a new face in the form Rhiannon Clements (Hollyoaks), who plays DC Steph Duncan. 

What are the plot lines of the new episodes?

In episode one, the team looks into the death of a young man following a car collision in a quiet country lane. Vera soon learns that the victim was a popular market trader whose antagonistic and arrogant ways may have come back to bite him.