Brenda Blethyn, who will be 80 next month, has stated she doesn’t plan to retire in the foreseeable future.
Brenda Blethyn is an English actress most famous for playing the lead role in the ITV crime series Vera. She played the character for 14 years, starting in 2010 and finishing in 2024.
Although fans worried her leaving the popular role meant she was retiring, Blethyn has assured everyone that she doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon.
I feel fortunate to have been consistently employed throughout my life. I actually considered retirement when I turned 65, wondering if it was time to step down. Then I met Vera, and things changed.
At almost 80 years old, she has no plans to retire, though she might slightly reduce her workload and spend more time relaxing at home, she shared with The Mirror.
Brenda Blethyn started her acting career in 1980 at the age of 33, appearing in the television film Grown-Ups, directed by Mike Leigh. Since then, she’s enjoyed a successful career spanning television, film, and theatre.
I’m a big fan of Vera Farmiga, but she’s also fantastic in so many other films! You might recognize her from movies like The Witches, Atonement, and Pride & Prejudice. One of my personal favorites is Secrets & Lies, a brilliant Mike Leigh film that even earned her an Oscar nomination – she really deserved it!
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She recently finished filming a new Channel 4 drama series. It’s an eight-part remake of “A Woman of Substance,” which originally aired in 1985 and is based on the novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford.
This new version of the classic story follows Emma, a woman from Yorkshire, as she rises from being a humble housekeeper to becoming the wealthiest woman globally.
Brenda Blethyn will portray the character as an 80-year-old, and Jessica Reynolds, known for her role in Outlander, will play her younger self.
A Woman Of Substance will air on Channel 4 later this year.
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Authors
Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a freelance writer specializing in pop culture and entertainment for TopMob. Before that, she was a Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab, where she oversaw their local team. She holds a BA (Hons) degree in English Literature from the University of Nottingham.
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2026-01-28 16:37