Who was Julie Burnell and why was the Vera season 13 finale dedicated to her?

Vera fans might be wondering who Julie Burnell was as the Vera season 13 finale shared a special dedication to her.

Vera season 13 drew to an emotional end on 21st January with an episode that saw plenty of heart-wrenching moments, both within and outside of the case DCI Stanhope was investigating. Alongside her usual role as determined detective, she was also there offering support and advice to DI Joe Ashworth. Bringing the series to an end was a heart-to-heart between the two and whilst many could have been left wondering if there will be another season of Vera, that's not the only poignant moment to have caught fans’ attention. Before the credits started to roll, a dedication appeared on screen for the finale episode in memory of Julie Burnell.  

Who was Julie Burnell and why was the Vera season 13 finale dedicated to her? 

Julie Burnell was the Head of Production for Drama at ITV Studios which produces Vera and, as listed on IMDB, she was also the Production Executive for seven episodes of the show between 2011-2022. Very sadly, Julie passed away last year and the Vera finale dedication read, “In memory of Julie Burnell 1957-2023”. According to RadioTimes.com, ITV explained that the production team on Vera wanted to pay special tribute to Julie who was “much loved” and remembered by so many people.

"Julie was a much loved and brilliant woman. Professionally, she was a leader in her field, and many remember her as a supportive and fair mentor,” they stated. "We all wanted to honour her memory."

Julie Burnell is understood to have also worked on plenty of popular, long-running dramas at ITV, ranging from Agatha Christie’s Poirot, to Mr Selfridge and Inspector Morse sequel, Lewis. It’s clear from the decision to dedicate the Vera season 13 finale to her how much Julie meant to those around her and this special tribute will likely not go unnoticed by fans.

It could also be seen as especially heartfelt that the dedication appeared at the end of Vera season 13 which was an incredibly important episode for the show as the series finale.

The episode itself was filled with poignancy and hope, especially in the last few moments which then lead into the episode’s equally poignant dedication. DI Joe Ashworth’s father passed away off-screen during the episode after moving into a hospice and Vera had offered her former DS advice about making sure he could say a proper goodbye. 

Sadly, he didn’t get to do this after choosing to continue with the investigation, but the final moments of Vera season 13 were a beautiful mix of hope and sadness as Joe visited Vera at home and opened up.

Vera told him, “You’re ambitious, Joe. And you take your work seriously and you’ll go far. I’ve always known it. But career, money, and all the other things people chase after, they’re not what people remember in the end.”

When Joe asked her whether or not she stayed living in the countryside because it’s easier to keep people at a distance she responded, “No, I have my people, Joe. Not living with me, thank god. And no family anymore. But colleagues…”

This was a beautiful sentiment from Vera and a lovely way to end the series. The transition from this conversation to Julie’s dedication might also have struck a chord with some viewers in light of Vera’s words about the importance of people and how they’re remembered above all else.