Brenda Blethyn says Vicky McClure's Trigger Point lead would once have gone to a man
In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Vera star Brenda Blethyn said watching Vicky McClure lead Trigger Point made her proud, because the role would once have gone to a man.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Brenda Blethyn, 80, who played DCI Vera Stanhope in ITV's Vera for 14 years, told The Mail on Sunday that she takes pride in watching Vicky McClure in Trigger Point. Daily MailR “Brenda Blethyn, 80, star of the ITV crime drama Vera, helped others follow her lead and portray powerful female characters” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Radio TimesN “made the supportive comments in an interview with The Mail on Sunday (via MailOnline)” Read at Radio Times ↗ Mixed · 2Blethyn said McClure's part would "certainly have gone to a man, no question" ten years ago, and called McClure "terrific". Daily MailR “Ten years ago that role would certainly have gone to a man, no question. She is terrific.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Radio TimesN “A decade earlier, McClure's role would "certainly have gone to a man, no question,"” Read at Radio Times ↗ Mixed · 2Blethyn said she thought while watching the night before, "My goodness, this would've been a bloke playing this role", and that she had met McClure briefly once. Daily MailR “I met her briefly once and I thought she was great.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Radio TimesN “"I was thinking last night, when I was watching it, 'My goodness, this would've been a bloke playing this role',"” Read at Radio Times ↗
Mixed · 2Blethyn added that even Vera, 20 years ago, would have been written as a man, "Victor or Vern". Blethyn argued that representing middle-aged and older women makes sense because they are the ones watching television at night. Daily MailR “Even Vera, 20 years ago, would have been a bloke – Victor or Vern.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Radio TimesN “"When you think about it, who is sitting there watching television at night? Middle-aged and older women,"” Read at Radio Times ↗ Mixed · 2Blethyn also said there has been less focus on glamour over the years, which is why they loved Vera: the character "wasn't reliant on lipstick or a love interest". Daily MailR “She wasn't reliant on lipstick or a love interest.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Radio TimesN “What I've noticed over the years is there's less focus on glamour.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 1Radio Times describes McClure's character, Lana Washington, as a former soldier turned Met Police explosives officer, and notes McClure's earlier roles in Line of Duty and This Is England. It says Trigger Point has run for four seasons and that readers have voiced support for a fifth. Radio TimesN “The former soldier turned Met Police explosives officer (or 'expo') is only the latest in a long line of memorable roles for McClure, including Kate Fleming in Line of Duty and Lol Jenkins in This Is England.”“Radio Times readers recently voicing support for a fifth season” Read at Radio Times ↗
Mixed · 2Vera ended with a two-part 14th season at the start of 2025, although the Daily Mail says Blethyn stood down from the role at the end of 2024. Both Trigger Point and Vera are available on ITVX. Radio TimesN “ended with a two-part 14th season at the start of 2025” Read at Radio Times ↗ Daily MailR “who stood down from her role as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope at the end of 2024” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail adds that Blethyn was Oscar-nominated for Secrets And Lies and Little Voice, recently played the older Emma Harte in A Woman of Substance, and is about to start filming a second series; it also mentions a podcast appearance for Shooting Star Children's Hospices. Daily MailR “this year took on the part of the older Emma Harte in the television adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's novel, A Woman of Substance.”“She is about to start filming a second series.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Radio Times rewrites the Mail interview as a supportive-comments entertainment item and ties it to Trigger Point, with background on McClure and Vera.
- Emphasis
- McClure's character, the show's popularity and a possible fifth season, with the comments credited to The Mail on Sunday.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits the Mail's detail on Blethyn's Oscar nominations, home life and podcast appearance.
- Charged language
- “Vera icon”“harrowing journey”
- For example
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“Brenda Blethyn has said she feels a surge of pride watching Vicky McClure lead ITV thriller Trigger Point” — Radio Times
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Mail frames the interview as feminist pride from a trailblazing TV detective, leading on Blethyn's own career and her role in paving the way for women in gritty roles.
- Emphasis
- Blethyn's pioneering status, her Oscar nominations, her home life in Ramsgate and her current projects.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Says little about Trigger Point itself, such as McClure's character or the show's run.
- Charged language
- “explodes with feminist pride”“trailblazing”
- For example
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“She played a trailblazing female television detective for 14 years, paving the way for other women to take on gritty roles.” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Blethyn gave the comments to The Mail on Sunday.
- She said McClure's Trigger Point role would once have gone to a man.
- She called McClure 'terrific'.
- She said Vera would once have been written as 'Victor or Vern'.
- She said middle-aged and older women are the main evening TV audience, so should be represented.
- She said there is now less focus on glamour in female roles.
Brenda Blethyn person
Says women now play roles that would once have been male, takes pride in McClure's Trigger Point role and credits the shift with making Vera possible.
“We are seeing women playing what would have been male roles.” — Daily Mail
“welcomed the way major dramas are increasingly built around women” — Radio Times
Vicky McClure person
No comment from McClure is reported; she is praised as 'terrific' and described as the lead of Trigger Point.
“She is terrific.” — Daily Mail
“McClure was "terrific" on the show” — Radio Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Vera icon Brenda Blethyn reveals why she is so proud seeing Vicky McClure in Trigger Point
Sympathetic Reports Blethyn's supportive comments about McClure, adding Trigger Point context and attributing them to the Mail.
Right1 article
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Why Vera star Brenda explodes with feminist pride watching Vicky McClure in Trigger Point
Celebratory Presents Blethyn as a trailblazer expressing feminist pride in McClure's success.
- 3 Oct 22:08 First Daily MailR Why Vera star Brenda explodes with feminist pride watching Vicky McClure in Trigger Point
- 5 Oct 10:39 +36h 32m Radio TimesN Vera icon Brenda Blethyn reveals why she is so proud seeing Vicky McClure in Trigger Point
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.