Two well known former stars from two of the biggest shows on TV were spotted in Vera’s last ever episode on Thursday night, as a Casualty legend and ex EastEnders actress from the 90s took on roles in the much watched finale.
After 14 years of having the nation hooked, as well as showing off the North East in all its stunning glory, Vera drew to a conclusion on ITV on January 2, with two stars from BBC shows ‘switching channels’ to join Brenda Blethyn, David Leon and co in the cast for two hour finale, The Dark Wives. News that Casualty icon Derek Thompson would be in Vera first broke when cast lists for each of the two new episodes were made public in December, with his involvement in the hit drama, coming just months as he bid his own moving farewell as Charlie Fairhead in the much loved hospital set programme, having been in it for decades.
Derek took on a very different character, with a very different accent in the Vera finale, appearing on screen as Gordon Spencer, the grandfather of missing teenager Chloe Spencer, who DCI Stanhope was very keen to track down, having become very concerned folr her welfare. And, while not as instantly recognisable as Derek from his Casualty days, viewers at home were left racking their brains as to where they knew his on screen wife from.
Taking on the part of Pam Spencer was Jacquetta May, who was a huge star in the early 90s, thanks to her playing Rachel Kominski in EastEnders, the one time girlfriend of Mark Fowler, having lived in Albert Square with his sister Michelle. Jacquetta was in a series of big drama series in the 90s, including Dangerfield and Jimmy Nail’s Crocodile Shoes and, more recently was seen in Midsomer Murders and Ridley, alongside Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar.