As millions of fans wait for the new series of Vera, its author Ann Cleeves has spawned another ITV drama based one of her books.
Whitley Bay-based crime writer Ann has seen her words adapted for the small screen to great aplomb with Vera now entertaining audiences for over a decade.
The drama, based on her growing collection of Vera Stanhope novels, will soon return to ITV for its eleventh series, with its leading lady earning recognition in America this week when readers of The Washington Post voted Vera in their top 5 fictional detectives, with the no nonsense crime sleuth finishing top female ahead of Miss Marple.
And now Ann is celebrating the commission of new drama The Long Call, based on her novel of the same name.
The character-led, atmospheric crime drama is driven by the intriguing and flawed protagonist, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn, who has returned to live in a small community in North Devon with his husband, Jonathan.
It’s a place Matthew walked away from 20 years ago, after being rejected by his family.
Our Girl and Fleabag star Ben Aldridge with play DI Venn and Ann is thrilled by his casting, saying: "I can’t think of anyone who could play Matthew Venn better than Ben Aldridge. He will bring an authenticity and commitment to the role.
"I always hoped that the actor chosen would come from Devon, where the books are set, and he does.
"Ben was the actor who read the audio book even before the TV show was commissioned. I love his pared-back, restrained narration.
"He’s worked on the novel as well as the script, and so he understands the character in depth. No author could wish for more.”
Ben will be joined in The Long Call cast by other well known names like former Waterloo Road and Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey and EastEnders legend Anita Dobson.
Filming begins this month and will take place in Bristol and the North Devon coast.
