VERA fans were left devastated when Kenny Doughty announced his departure from the beloved drama after eight years as DS Aiden Healy.

Now the actor has opened up about the heartbreaking reason behind his decision to leave.

The 49-year-old actor, who is set to return to screens in Channel 5’s new thriller The Au Pair, has revealed that his stepfather’s terminal cancer diagnosis was the catalyst for his emotional decision to step away from the show.

Kenny reflected on his departure from Vera, revealing: “Steve was a glorious, delightful man. I was proud to refer to him as my ‘dad’, not my stepfather. He taught me how to be a better man.”

Faced with the devastating news of his dad's illness, Kenny knew where he needed to be.

He added: “It was a no-brainer, choosing to quit work and spend those last six months with him. We built a wooden house together by their home in Ireland, and he taught me about wood, joinery, carpentry.”

At the time, fans were left speculating about his sudden departure, especially after he deleted his Twitter account.

Kenny insists that leaving Vera was not a decision he made lightly.

“There were lots of personal and professional reasons why I wanted to move on,” he admitted.