NEW recruit

SARAH KAMEELA IMPEY on becoming DCI Vera Stanhope's colleague

- TESS LAMACRAFT.

VERA SUNDAY, 8PM, ITV1 DRAMA

There’s a new pathologist on the crime scene in ITV1’s hit detective drama Vera, as Dr Paula Bennett makes her much-anticipated debut this week. Played by Sarah Kameela Impey (We Are Lady Parts, Maternal), the driven forensic expert is the replacement for dour Dr Malcolm Donahue (Paul Kaye), but her enthusiastic approach immediately ruffles the feathers of DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) when the pair meet for the first time in Newcastle after a former Army officer is found dead in suspicious circumstances.

Here, in an exclusive interview, Sarah, 34, tells TV Times all about joining the show…

What’s your take on Paula?

She absolutely loves her job and her favourite place to be is the mortuary because that’s where she can get to prove all the theories she may have. She’s incredibly enthusiastic and when she first meets Vera, she’s so excited that she doesn’t address her correctly. That rattles Vera, who definitely isn’t going to make it easy for Paula while she susses her out.