Brenda Blethyn, the beloved British actress best known for playing Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope on ITV's Vera, has shared the unconventional secret behind her 50-year relationship with husband Michael Mayhew: they live in separate parts of their home.
Early Life and Career
Born on 20 February 1946, Blethyn began her acting career at the Guildford School of Acting in her late 20s, after working as a secretary and a bookkeeper. She later joined the Royal National Theatre, where she met Mayhew, the former head of graphic design and art director.
Her feature film debut came with a small role in The Witches (1990), followed by acclaimed performances in Secrets & Lies (1996), Little Voice (1998), Saving Grace (2000), A Way of Life (2004), Pride & Prejudice (2005), and Atonement (2007). On television, she appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Anne Frank: The Whole Story.
The Role of Vera
From 2011 to 2025, Blethyn starred as DCI Vera Stanhope in the ITV crime drama Vera, which became a staple of British television. More recently, she appeared in A Woman of Substance, a rags-to-riches story set in Yorkshire.
First Marriage
Blethyn married her first husband, Alan James Blethyn, in 1964 when she was 19. The marriage ended when he fell in love with someone else. She told The Guardian: "My first husband, Alan Blethyn, just fell for someone else. I was devastated when he left, but he really was a lovely fella and the other lady is nice too. It was just one of those things."
35-Year Engagement and Unconventional Marriage
Blethyn met Michael Mayhew in 1975. They were engaged for 35 years before finally marrying in 2010. The couple lives in Kent with their cockapoo, Jack. In an interview with HELLO!, Blethyn revealed the secret to their lasting romance: living separately under the same roof. "We're still together, but he just lives upstairs," she said. "It might be the secret, to have your own space." She added: "I've got my own space. He's always cold, and I'm always hot. I always want to watch a drama, and he wants to watch football. So, it's working well."
