A handful of Vera fans who tuned into Tuesday's classic episode of the Ann Cleeves-created crime drama were left less than impressed to hear a warning about the instalment before it began.
Vera has become a ratings smash for ITV over the years, usually dominating the 8pm time slot on Sunday evenings when new episodes air.
The series is on a hiatus at the moment until the 14th and final season airs next year, but ITV has still provided fans with their fix of Brenda Blethyn and co through repeats.
On Tuesday night, the sixth episode of series 11 aired on the channel as fans got another chance to see Blethyn's DCI Stanhope get to the bottom of a murder mystery involving a builder.
Airing at 9pm, the channel's announcer said before the titles rolled, however [according to Express]: "And now, containing scenes from the start that some people may find upsetting..."
This prompted a number of ITV viewers to take to social media to express their annoyance - especially given how Vera usually airs pre-watershed.
Brenda Blethyn's Vera will end in 2025 after the actress quit the role
ITVAfter all, the topic of trigger warning has become a contentious issue in recent years due to political correctness rendering several classic sitcoms and series unsuitable for modern audiences.
Hitting back at the decision to implement a warning on Vera, one fan fumed on X: "WTF is going on @ITV so @VeraSeries is about to come on, it's 9pm. 'And now, containing crime scenes from the start that some people may find upsetting'.
"Vera? Really? Get a f***ing grip! Don't get me wrong, Vera is a ledge, but unclutch those pearls a Bit ITV FFS!"
This was echoed by another viewer who hit out: "Thought the watershed was 9. Are adults really that pathetic these days that we need warnings for crime shows."
The ITV Vera cast will return for one last set of specials in 2025
GETTY
However, others weighed in to praise ITV's lead-up announcer for the evening as one commented: "@andrea_fox Excellent announcements into #Emmerdale, #CookingWithTheStars and #Vera on ITV1."
The episode's trigger warning may have come as a surprise given the DVD edition of season 11 was only given a 12A classification upon its release.
Whether Vera's final series will also come with a warning before episodes air remains to be seen.
The final specials are tipped to air in 2025 and leading star Blethyn provided an update on filming earlier this month.
Taking to X, Blethyn penned to her 81.2k followers: "Travelling home after finishing filming of Series 14 of VERA. Tired and emotional." (sic)
Several fans flocked to praise the 78-year-old for returning for one final stint while others expressed their dismay that Vera was ending for good.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
travelling home after finishing filming of Series 14 of VERA. Tired and emotional.
— Brenda Blethyn (@BrendaBlethyn) July 13, 2024
Even the verified ITV account replied to Blethyn's post: "Thankyou for all of your hard work, Brenda. We can’t wait to see this final chapter of Vera, it really is the end of an era."
Blethyn confirmed her departure earlier this year in a statement that read: "Working on Vera has been a joy from beginning to end and I'm sad to be saying Cheerio. But I am so proud of our achievements over the last 14 years.
"I'll be forever grateful to the wonderful Ann Cleeves who created Vera, and to Elaine Collins who saw fit to cast me in the role.
"The producers, dream cast and crew have been fabulous and I’m going to miss them, but I won’t forget their huge talent, the camaraderie, laughter or kindness we shared nor the friendship of the people of the northeast and our fans worldwide.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
