It's been a year since Kenny Doughty announced his exit from Vera, but he still has strong ties to another drama based on the books by author Ann Cleeves and is now up in the north of Scotland, to join his well known other half as she films the new series.
Many ITV viewers were left gutted in spring 2023 when, having played Brenda Blethyn's on screen sidekick DS Aiden Healy for eight years, Kenny announced he was 'handing in his badge' having fuelled speculation he'd already left, after posting a series of behind the scenes photos from the Vera set on his Instagram grid and captioning them 'Thank you for the memories.'
Kenny's departure from Vera was referenced in a very short conversation at the start of the show's 13th series in January. Questioned on why he wasn't with her at the crime scene, Vera replied: "Try Perth," going onto explain that she meant Perth in Australia, rather than in Scotland, before adding: "You're shocked? Could have knocked me for six when I found out.
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"It was his missus who sent in the application; reckons his prospects will be better Down Under, of course, her sister lives there. Kenny gives him six months."
Months after leaving Vera last year, Kenny tied the knot with former Nativity and Extras star Ashley Jensen, with the two getting married in a 'super fun' and emotional ceremony in front of a close group of family and friends at the historic Priston Mill near Bath. And now, after landing the lead role of Ruth Calder in BBC's Shetland, Ashley is back on location to shoot the popular drama's next run
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And Kenny, having urged his own fans to tune in and watch her make her Shetland debut last year, has now headed up to the Scottish isles to join her; sharing his location as he posted a photo of the couple's dogs on his Insta account, as they gazed out the window at a very picturesque view in front of them.
