Midsomer Murders has started filming its 25th season it's been revealed by star Neil Dudgeon in a hugely exciting update for fans.

Neil, who plays DCI John Barnaby, promises there will be more "great" stories for fans to enjoy.

"It's fantastic to be filming Midsomer again," he said in a statement to Variety. "The scripts are all great, full of intrigue and mystery, so I'm very excited for you to see them.

"Our writers, who seem normal, have come up with yet more extraordinary ways for the residents of Midsomer to despatch their neighbors, which is fun and slightly worrying; I work with these people! And, of course, the cast and crew are all back together, and it's great to see everyone and hear all the news and gossip. It's just like living in a village in Midsomer! I hope you all love them when they are finished."

Joining Neil is Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter, Annette Badland as pathologist Dr. Fleur Perkins and Fiona Dolman as John's wife Sarah. Once Midsomer Murders season 25 airs the show will have run for 144 episodes, which means it will have enjoyed more episodes than classic shows like Poirot and Vera. The first episode, "The Killings at Badger's Drift", went out in 1997.

Talking once about why the show remains so popular, Neil said: "It's a big, proper two-hour show that you can get immersed in — you have time to look at all the suspicious characters, red herrings and all."

Neil mentioned Midsomer's love of strange deaths and John Nettles, the show's original leading man as Tom Barnaby, recently revealed his favorite was in a 2005 episode called "Orchis Fatalis". Talking to The Times, Nettles laughingly recalled loving the scene in the episode where one poor victim is murdered by a pitchfork being thrust viciously through a deckchair.

We don't yet know when the new series of Midsomer Murders will arrive on ITV in the UK and Acorn TV in the US. Check out our best ITV dramas guide for more shows to enjoy.

John Nettles has revealed his favourite Midsomer Murders death scene involved a pitchfork being driven through a victim sitting in a deckchair!

The 81-year-old actor, who played DCI Tom Barnaby in the show for 14 years between 1997 and 2011, said his top murder scene occurred in episode 3 of series 8.

In the 2005 episode, called "Orchis Fatalis" one of the world's rarest orchids is smuggled illegally into Midsomer, triggering a "catalogue of passion, jealously and death". Talking to The Times, Nettles laughingly recalled loving the scene in the episode where one poor victim is murdered by a pitchfork being thrust viciously through a deckchair. Yep, it's amazing what people will do over a rare orchid. As an interesting aside, Midsomer Murders clearly loved using pitchforks as a murder weapon as future Hollywood star Orlando Bloom, playing a thief, was also bumped off in a different episode via a pitchfork.

John Nettles remains surprised and delighted by the global appeal of Midsomer Murders, which is still running to this day with Neil Dudgeon having taken over the leading role as Tom Barnaby's cousin, John.

Nettles said: "I'm just amazed by it, the fact that every territory has a Midsomer Murders presence. In America, I'm told — as if they hadn't got enough to put up with, by the way of Trump and all the rest of that menagerie around him in the White House — they have to put up with a 24/7 Midsomer Murders channel. They show back-to-back episodes, which is quite amazing."

But he adds that he never rewatches Midsomer Murders, despite having so much fun over the years with all the weird and wonderful deaths in the show. "No, I don't watch. I've seen every trope, every curiosity, every plot manoeuvre that belongs to the genre, over and over and over again. I never want to see another actor pretending to be a dead body. It’s just too much. I've done it for so many years, for days and months at a time, 24/7, more or less. And it's like building a wall. You build it very carefully. You don't want to go back and watch other people building it."

Meanwhile, his other famous detective, Bergerac, has got a reboot with Damien Molony taking over his starring role as Jim Bergerac. But Nettles won't be appearing in the new Bergerac, beginning on the free-to-air channel U&DRAMA on Thursday, February 27 at 9 pm, having described himself as being "too old" for the part. Meanwhile, you can catch John in Midsomer Murders on ITVX. Check out our best ITV dramas guide for more shows to enjoy on ITVX.

Midsomer Murders aired its season finale last night, with some fans less than impressed with the episode, with some saying they 'fell asleep' while it was on.

But it wasn't all Midsomer Murders criticism, with others praising the 'enjoyable Sunday night drama', though also commenting that the storylines can be 'ridiculous'.

'I managed to fall asleep in Midsomer Murders, so not sure you missed much!' said one fan on X (formerly Twitter).

While another wrote, 'It was lovely to have #MidsomerMurders back (admittedly not their nest episode). I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next series.'

But some Midsomer Murders fans weren't impressed with the latest episode, with another writing, 'Recorded and now deleted, won't be bothering. Final nail in this shows coffin.'

But other viewers of the ITV show defended it, calling it a 'fun' watch. Another commented on the social media platform X, '#MidsomerMurders is what it is. Enjoyable Sunday night drama, not too complicated, no swearing. Slightly ridiculous plots but fun enough to end a weekend. No one is forced to watch - if you don't like it stop moaning and switch over.'

While another simply concluded, 'Not the greatest of episode's. No badgers drift? No body killed by a giant cheese? However still watched it.'

Midsomer Murders viewers also spotted something unusual about one of the guest character's names.

'@ITV which directioner did you get writing the last episode of Midsomer Murders did you think we wouldn't notice a character called Malik Payne,' wrote one.

While another said, 'Why do I feel one of the writers for tonight’s Midsomer Murders episode was a 1D fan? Malik Payne.'

And another wrote, 'Tik tok played me teardrops acoustic whilst i was mooching upstairs on the phone..I come downstairs Hubby's watching Midsomer murders...character is called malik payne...I swear today isn't playing fair.'

Stay tuned for updates on the next series of Midsomer Murders.

Midsomer Murders gets a touch of sparkle in the new drag-themed episode Dressed to Kill.

The final installment in series 23 sees DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) investigate after a murderer strikes in the lead-up to a charity drag extravaganza. But the detectives soon uncover secrets and rivalries and the body count starts to rise…

It’s a colorful episode. Every scene is pink and bright!” Nick Hendrix tells What to Watch. "They missed a trick not getting me to dress up but I did wear a feather boa!"

Here’s everything we know about Midsomer Murders 2024: Dressed to Kill…

Midsomer Murders 2024: Dressed to Kill – release date

Midsomer Murders 2024: Dressed to Kill airs on ITV1 at 8 pm on Sunday, November 10.

The episode will also be available on ITVX, along with previous episodes. In the US, you can head to BritBox to watch Midsomer Murders.

Midsomer Murders 2024: Dressed to Kill – plot

The episode is set in the Midsomer village of Elverton-cum-Latterly, where a host of drag queens are getting their glad rags on for a charity evening at the The Kings Arms to raise money for the landlady's teenage son, who has cancer and needs to get to America for treatment. Among those taking part are actor Nigel Bellamy (Nigel Lindsay), a one-time big star who is now down on his luck.

But not everyone is in favour of the event, particularly the local dominoes players who wanted to host their annual tournament at the pub on the same night. It’s not long before one of the chief dissenters, Lois Springfield, a keen dominoes player, laundrette owner and head of the parish council is found dead, dressed in drag with dominoes on her eyes and a pink stiletto by her head! And as the cops question the drag queens and the villagers, the killer is preparing to strike again...

"This is about both a drag show and a dominoes contest, which is classic for Midsomer, with two warring worlds. People are stuck in their ways, and the drag world brings a big question mark for some. There are jealousies, affairs, rivalries, love and hate," shares Nick Hendrix, who was thrilled by the attention to detail in the episode.

"We always want our murders to be high concept visually and this was amazing. And there’s another creative death later with a big dress… This episode was about costumes on another level, and we had to do it right, so our hair and makeup team got tutorials from drag makeup artists and even some of our supporting artists were real drag performers.”"

Midsomer Murders 2024: Dressed to Kill cast

Neil Dudgeon returns as DCI Barnaby alongside Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter, while Fiona Dolman is back as Barnaby’s wife Sarah and Annette Badland once again plays pathologist Fleur Perkins.

Guest stars include The Capture’s Nigel Lindsay as washed-up thespian Nigel Bellamy, and Surgical Spirit and EastEnders’ Nichola McAuliffe as his formidable mother Norinda. Line of Duty’s Ace Bhatti is domino enthusiast and physiotherapist Dickie Dent and Casualty’s Suzanne Packer is his drama teacher wife Olivia. Doc Martin’s Stewart Wright is aspiring drag queen Shawn Dawlish and LJ Johnson is his daughter Chantelle.

Felix Kai is leading drag queen Malik Payne and Tessie Orange-Turner is fellow drag artist Evelyn Hardy. The Chelsea Detective’s Sophie Stone is pub landlady Gill Templeton, Baxter Westby is her sick son Rocco and Stella’s Clare Hingott is the first victim Lois Springfield.

“We're so lucky that we get seasoned actors who we can chat to about their lives. Ace was fascinating and Nigel has done so many different things,” says Nick Hendrix. “But we also get young actors like Felix Kai, he’s going to be a star.”

Is there a trailer?

Not yet, but we will pop it up here if one is released.

Midsomer Murders episodes are like buses currently: none for ages and then two come along at once. Following on from "The Debt of Lies" (available to watch on ITVX if you missed it), comes a new episode called "A Grain of Truth".

DCI John Barnaby and DS Jamie Winter really "knead" to use their loaves to crack this case which is set in the world of organic baking.

Leading man Neil Dudgeon tells us: "It's a great episode. You've got this young couple who are a celebrity baking sensation and they’ve recently moved to Midsomer. But the traditional villagers don't like it, which causes tension. On top of that, things that happened many years ago come back with plenty of repercussions."

Here's everything we know…

Midsomer Murders 2024: A Grain of Truth release date

Midsomer Murders 2024: A Grain of Truth airs on ITV1 at 8 pm on Tuesday, July 23. The episode will also be available on ITVX, where you can catch up with previous episodes as well. We also have a best ITV dramas guide for more shows to enjoy. In the US, BritBox is the place to head for Midsomer Murders.

Midsomer Murders 2024: A Grain of Truth plot

We meet a superstar baking couple — artisan baker Tom Larkton and his pâtissière wife Chrissie. They’ve revamped her family's historic old water mill and it now makes 100% organic flour. But not everyone in Midsomer enjoys their success and not everyone is pleased to see Chrissie back in Midsomer. Denise Bantrig, the landlady of The Highwayman Inn, is furious at the impact the mill is having on the village she sets up a protest group including Maria, who runs the village café. ITV teases: "While the charismatic power couple may seem to be living the magazine cover dream, things are not quite as perfect as they seem when they become targets of aggressive online hate. 

"The threats appear to escalate when locals boycott the Larkton's attempt to build bridges with the village, a Midsummer's Eve Party, embarrassing them in front of the local press. But things take a sinister turn as Chrissie begins to hallucinate and is nearly killed as she staggers into the mill pond in a trance-like state before being saved by head miller Gabriel.

"Barnaby and Winter are called in to investigate as patrons at the pub were similarly affected. Fleur has a hunch that the seeded rolls which Chrissie ate were contaminated. But why would the pub, the hub of the protest, have eaten the rolls from Larkton's Mill?

"When a farmer is murdered Barnaby and Winter must race to work out the truth before the killer can strike again. Is this revenge for the poisoned rolls? Or is something hellbent on preventing the success of Larkton's Mill?"

Cast

Red Eye's Robert Gilbert plays baker Tom with The Sandman's Rebecca Night as his pâtissière wife Chrissie. Neil Dudgeon stars as Barnaby with Nick Hendrix as Winter.

Is there a trailer?

No, not yet.

Midsomer Murders is finally back on our screens tonight, with Oppenheimer actor Tom Conti guest starring.

Conti played Albert Einstein in the Hollywood blockbuster, having a conversation with Cillian Murphy's character in the final moments of the Christopher Nolan movie.

Now Conti, who famously starred opposite Pauline Collins in the 1980s romance movie Shirley Valentine, is guesting in the latest episode of Midsomer Murders, which airs on ITV1 tonight [Tuesday, July 16] at 8.15 pm. It will also be available to stream on ITVX.

In the episode titled "Debt of Lies", Tom Conti plays Sebastian Cabot, the former boss of DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).

Annette Badland, who plays pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins, told us how excited she was that Conti was in the episode. She said: "I have to say, both Fleur and myself got a little hot under the collar! He's such an attractive, charismatic man and a wonderful actor. So I got a bit girlish and shy! But the one bad thing about playing a pathologist is that I don't get to perform with these guest stars unless they're dead, so they're usually lying on a bit of plastic on cold, wet grass or on the mortuary steel!”

The plot sees Barnaby and Sarah head to a party to celebrate the retirement of DCS Elaine Bennet. Conti's character tells the pair that Elaine is his new neighbor. And he also reveals that Elaine isn't that popular with everyone at the retirement community where they live.

You can see where this is going! Yes, Elaine ends up dead after apparently leaving the party and crashing into a tree. Fleur spots the brake cable has been cut and DCI John Barnaby must interview the murder suspects including of course Conti’s character.

Conti has a string of other notable TV and movie credits including Paddington 2, where he famously had an unfortunate trip to the barbers as Judge Gerald Biggleswade. He also appeared in Donovan, Lark Rise to Candleford and played Emily’s dad Stephen Waltham in Friends.

Meanwhile, Midsomer Murders fans will be pleased to note that ITV is also screening another episode next week on Tuesday, July 23 at 8 pm on ITV1 and ITVX. That episode is called "A Grain of Truth". ITV has teased: "The world of organic baking begins to crumble after a series of incidents at the newly revamped Larkton’s Mill..."

A former guest star on Midsomer Murders has expressed bafflement that ITV has put a trigger warning on some episodes.

Endeavour actor Anton Lesser, who appeared in two episodes of the long-running crime drama, declared his surprise that ITV has decided to put warnings on some episodes when you watch them on its streaming service, ITVX.

Curiously for a show clearly featuring murders one of the warnings reads: "Contains some violence and crime scene images".

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lesser, whose credits also include The Hour and Game of Thrones, said: "I understand the good intentions of broadcasters who take care to warn of effects like flashing images, but I'm surprised something like Midsomer Murders warrants a warning. I do remember my character in 'Birds of Prey' hurling a plate of sausages to the floor — perhaps there should be a disclaimer, 'No sausages were hurt in this film'."

The 2003 episode of Midsomer Murders Lesser refers to starred John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby and that particular episode on the ITVX site comes with the warning: "This programme contains scenes that some viewers may find distressing." No mention of the sausages.

An ITVX spokesman told the paper: "Programming that contains potentially sensitive or distressing themes, content or language has carried appropriate guidance since our launch. We regularly review our catalog to ensure the right guidance is in place."

There's been plenty of debate as to whether TV shows, movies and theatre productions should come with trigger warnings or not. Earlier this year, Harry Potter actor Ralph Fiennes said trigger warnings put out before plays had made audiences go "soft". While he was happy with warnings for scenes that may affect people physically, he told the BBC: "The impact of theatre should be that you're shocked, and should be that you're disturbed, I don’t think you should be prepared for these things." Matt Smith, also speaking to the BBC, added his voice to the debate, saying he agreed with Fiennes.

Midsomer Murders 2024 continues with a new episode called "The Debt of Lies" airing on Tuesday, July 16 at 8.15 pm on ITV1. And, yes, it will feature crime scene images! Indeed, DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) investigates a murder at a police retirement community. Tom Conti is among the guest stars.

The Midsomer Murders 2024 episode "The Debt of Lies" has now aired on ITV1 but is available still to watch on ITVX.

The plot sounds a little bit like Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club in that it's set at a retirement community. To be exact a police retirement community where a resident is found dead. Being a load of ex-cops they're very keen to crack the case themselves and all eyes are on DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).

Annette Badland, who plays pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins, told us she was very excited that Tom Conti was among the guest cast. "I have to say, both Fleur and myself got a little hot under the collar! He's such an attractive, charismatic man and a wonderful actor. So I got a bit girlish and shy! But the one bad thing about playing a pathologist is that I don't get to perform with these guest stars unless they're dead, so they're usually lying on a bit of plastic on cold, wet grass or on the mortuary steel!"

We also have a guide to the next episode in the series called "A Grain of Truth".

Here's everything we know…

Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies release date

Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies was released on Tuesday, July 16 at 8.15 pm on ITV1 in 2024. The episode is available to watch now on ITVX, while BritBox is the place to go for Midsomer Murders in the US.

Another episode of Midsomer Murders 2024 is on the way called "A Grain of Truth". That episode airs on Tuesday, July 23 at 8 pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

What's the plot?

Barnaby and Sarah head to a party to celebrate the retirement of DCS Elaine Bennet. Barnaby doesn't know that Elaine is unwell.

The makers tease: "At the party, Sarah is introduced to Barnaby’s old gaffer — Sebastian Cabot – who informs the pair that Elaine is his new neighbor – she has recently moved into Challis Court. Set up by an independent charity fifteen years ago, Challis is a collection of desirable apartments within a grand estate providing comfortable and secure housing for retired police officers.

"A remark from Sebastian tells Barnaby that Elaine may not be as popular as the turn out suggests — her husband is not even in attendance. Barnaby is further intrigued when he notices Elaine having a heated argument with someone outside the party.

"As the event draws to a close, Barnaby sees that behind the handshakes and smiles, some of the officers are harboring resentment and bitterness. After bidding farewell to her colleagues, Elaine heads home… only to be later found dead in the Bennet’s family car after crashing into a tree.

"Barnaby and Winter arrive at the scene and realise there are no signs of braking, it appears as if Elaine deliberately drove off the road without a seatbelt and died of massive trauma. It is Fleur who corrects the pair and explains that the brake cable has been cut — this was no accident… And as Challis Court is a gated community that means the killer was inside and they are looking for an ex-officer.

"Barnaby and Winter must interview these retired officers who are wise to their line of questioning, and who are keen to offer their expert opinion on the handling of the case. Is an ex-colleague out for revenge? Can Barnaby steer through the lies to catch the killer before it is too late?"

Midsomer Murders 2024: The Debt of Lies cast

DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), his sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) and no-nonsense pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland) are all back. Tom Conti guest stars as Barnaby’s former boss, Sebastian Cabot.

What happens in A Grain of Truth?

ITV teases: "The world of organic baking begins to crumble after a series of incidents at the newly revamped Larkton’s Mill..."

Is there a trailer?

No, not yet.

Soon you'll be able to watch the latest episode of Midsomer Murders season 23 as its newest episode will air on Tuesday, July 16. We'll help you work out how to watch it.

This is called Midsomer Murders: The Debt of Lies, which follows on from April's The Blacktrees Prophecy, and it'll task the team with investigating the death of a retired detective and an old heist which may be linked.

This is just the latest episode of one of the most classic ongoing TV crime dramas around, so whether you're here for the newest episode or want to catch up on a classic, we'll help you do so.

So here's how to watch Midsomer Murders in 2024.

How to watch Midsomer Murders in the UK

If you live in the UK, you can watch Midsomer Murders: The Debt of Lies at 8.15 pm on Tuesday, July 16 by tuning into ITV1. You'll also be able to watch it live on ITVX, and also on demand beyond that date.

That brings us to watching past episodes: they're almost all available on ITVX too, for you to stream at your leisure.

ITVX is free to use as long as you pay your license fee, but £5.99 per month gets you ITVX Premium. This bundles in a few other streaming services like BritBox and Studiocanal Presents but its main perk is that you don't need to sit through adverts, making each show about half its usual length!

How to watch Midsomer Murders in the US

You'll be able to watch The Debt of Lies using BritBox in the US, but when it comes to watching episodes of Midsomer Murders, you've got a different reliable port of call: Acorn TV.

Acorn TV is a US streaming service focused on Brit-centric shows, a genre that MM falls slap-bang in the middle of. All past episodes of the show are on the streamer, which costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year for a subscription.

• Sign up for Acorn TV here

You do have a few alternatives though, and if you don't need every single season, you might be able to watch Midsomer Murders for free.

Free streaming services The Roku Channel, Tubi and Freevee have 22 of the past seasons while Pluto TV has 21 of them, so if you don't mind watching ads during your streaming, you can sign up without paying.

How to watch Midsomer Murders everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch Midsomer Murders, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy has yet more inventive killings, bizarre secret societies and a top-notch guest cast for this all-new 2024 Midsomer Murders mystery.

Penned by EastEnders writer Jeff Povey, the whodunnit focuses on some fanatical local doomsday preppers, who find themselves at the mercy of a killer with a penchant for bizarre murder techniques, including death by exploding lifeboat!

Once again DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), his sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) and no-nonsense pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland) must grapple with strange locals, past secrets and one or two red herrings to crack the case.

So here’s everything you need to know about Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy on ITV1 and ITVX…

Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy release date

Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy will start in the UK on ITV1 on Sunday 14 April 2024 at 8pm and will also be available on ITVX.

How to watch Midsomer Murders in 2024 online or on TV

Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy plot

The new mystery Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy begins with a macabre death when paranoid doomsday prepper Warren Kaine gets an unknown call warning of nuclear war, only to be asphyxiated in his bombproof survival shelter when the oxygen supply is cut off. DCI John Barnaby and DS Jamie Winter are quickly on the case and are immediately suspicious of the other members of Midsomer’s secretive survivalist group. Were they desperate to get their hands on Warren’s shelter, or is someone trying to send a message? But with so many suspects, some more murders and several strange motives, Winter and Barnaby have their work cut out before they can unmask the killer.

Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy cast

As well as Neil Dudgeon as Barnaby and Nick Hendrix as Winter there's an all-star cast in Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy that includes Robert Cavanah (Shetland, Outlander) as victim Warren Kaine’s friend and fellow survivalist Guy Burrows, and Holly Aird (Waking the Dead) as Guy’s bookshop-owning wife Paige. 

Meanwhile, Kate Robbins (Unforgotten, The Couple Next Door) plays Warren’s ex wife Lyra Kaine, and Nina Wadia (EastEnders) is Medora Salt, who runs the local pub The Huntsman’s Horn. 

Exclusive interview: Neil Dudgeon talks us through Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy

What can you tell us about Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy?
Neil Dudgeon says: "It’s written by Jeff Povey, who's very imaginative and comes up with some marvellously eccentric, crazy things. It starts off seemingly with nuclear war and then builds from there. But the other fantastic thing about this episode is the bizarre deaths. We have someone beaten around the head with a tin of spam and a death by exploding lifeboat, which is just inspired! I mean, there are loads of other great cop shows and detective shows out there, but nobody gets killed by a tin of spam in Line of Duty, do they?"

Did you know much about doomsday preppers beforehand?
"No, and I'm constantly amazed by the bizarre organisations or communities on society’s fringes that the Midsomer stories are based around. I didn’t know doomsday preppers were a real thing, but it turns out these groups have bunkers in the woods with secret codes, their own water supply and something like two years worth of food!"

Tell us about the guest stars…
"They’re all amazing! Actually Holly [Aird] did an episode of Midsomer with me years ago. I think for a long time they didn’t want to have guests back who’d already done an episode with me. But now I’ve been doing it so long they’ve realised we’ve run out of actors!"

When you started as John Barnaby 14 years ago, did you imagine you’d stay for so long?
"No! It had already been going for 13 years when I joined and I think they thought they’d get another two or three years out of it. But people still love it so they keep asking us to do more!"

What do you still love about playing him?
"So many things. I live in West London, so getting to spend six months of the year in the countryside is lovely. Then there are the brilliant guest stars, and of course working with Nick Hendrix, Annette Badland and Fiona Dolman. We have a lot of fun together on set. I see much more of them than I do my own family because we’re with each other from seven in the morning until seven at night, five days a week. We’re sort of in each other’s pockets really!"

Why do you think the show has stood the test of time?
"It’s extremely eccentric – it’s sort of in a world of its own and I think people want escapism. They don't necessarily want to see lots of scary violence or worrying ways of dying. With Midsomer you can sit down and get carried off into this crazy, wacky, strange other world for a couple of hours!"

Do you have a favourite ever case?
"There's one from 2014 and called Wild Harvest where a man was found dead in the woods. He’d been tied to a tree and his shirt had been ripped off, he’d been covered in truffle oil and then eaten alive by a wild boar. It was just so preposterous! I also loved The Sting of Death (2019) where someone had been turned into a giant human candle encased in wax – then Barnaby turned up to investigate acting as if it was all perfectly normal!"

What about a standout fan experience?
"I met a guy in Baltimore at a TV festival once. He came up to me and said, I’ve got to shake your hand, you saved my marriage! He told me he and his wife had been drifting apart for years and they had nothing in common anymore. Then one night he started watching Midsomer with her. Now they watch it regularly and it’s sort of saved their relationship! That’s a great testament to the beauty and the fun and the joy of the show!"

Is Midsomer somewhere you’d like to live if it existed in real life?
"Oh yeah, I’d be there like a shot! It sort of already exists in my mind! I love the idea of all these prepper societies, stitchers' societies, beekeeping societies, flying clubs. But I’d want to enjoy the nice walks and the pub lunches, rather than spend my time finding bodies!"

Apart from Midsomer Murders, do you have a favourite crime drama?
"I tend not to watch dramas at all actually. I love the warmth, kindness and humour of The Repair Shop, and I was a great fan of Strictly, but then my kids started going out on a Saturday night and I didn’t have the heart to watch it without them. But my latest thing is Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon. She’s absolutely wonderful, and I’m hoping she’ll inspire me to clear out our house and tidy up a bit!"

There ought to be a celebrity version…
"Oh yes, we all need Stacey in our lives! There’s stuff that’s been up in my loft for 20 years. What’s the point? I might as well have shot it into space!"

Interview: Nick Hendrix on Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy 

Nick Hendrix, who plays, DS Jamie Winter, explains: "‘This story is about a group of people who think nuclear war is coming or the apocalypse. Some preppers think very much that this is going to happen and others just like being part of the club. 

"Doomsday prepping is not something I was aware of. I mean, I knew there were people hoarding baked beans and building nuclear bunkers, but this takes it to the next level, and the art department did a fantastic job with the shelter in this episode.

‘Then we have Kate Robbins’ character, Lyra, who had this unbelievable bizarre tent in the middle of the woods, where she kept all sorts of strange old radios and stuff that she would try to fix. That is very Midsomer – in the woods, dark and kind of spooky…"

Is there a trailer for Midsomer Murders: The Blacktrees Prophecy?

Not yet, but watch this space for updates. 

Last night's episode of Midsomer Murders saw Holly Willoughby make her acting debut on screens - but fans were less than impressed.

The This Morning presenter appeared on Sunday night’s (27th August 2023) episode of ITV’s hit drama series. 

Holly starred as herself on the show,  dubbed by one of the episode's characters as 'the Queen of Daytime', for series 22's The Witches of Angel's Rise.

While the episode was filmed a few years ago, it only aired this weekend, but the response from viewers of the ITV show was largely critical. 

'"Is that the Queen of Daytime?' Ah yes, top quality realistic not-at-all-forced dialogue there ITV.'

While another said, 'What exactly was the point of Holly Willoughby in Midsomer Murders last night?'

'Midsomer Murders made a mistake,' said another viewer in reference to Holly's role.

While another said in a scathing fashion, 'Even though playing herself, Holly's character should have been done in by the support cast for taking a role off an accredited actor or simply just for that horrible acting. 

'All the stage presence of a block of wood.'

While another said, 'Holly Willoughby in Midsomer Murders last nightit was the first time I’ve seen her on TV as I’ve never watched their morning show, wooden , hair all over face, just stood there with a silly smile, suggest she does NOT give up her day job.'

While another wrote in an angry fashion, 'Something else she wormed her way into completely unnecessary could’ve stood cardboard cut out in corner been just as interesting no part in storyline so no point in her…well I tend to think that anyway..you let us down #Midsomermurders.'

While another said, 'So #Hollywilloughby thinks she's a good actor now that was like she was on #ThisMorning sofa. #MidsomerMurders made a mistake.'

Let's hope Holly doesn't give up the day job!

Midsomer Murders returns to screens on ITV next Sunday.

Midsomer Murders has given us a sneak-peak of Holly Willoughby's upcoming cameo as the "queen of daytime" in the hit crime series.

The clip from Holly's Midsomer debut was shown on Good Morning Britain today when hosts Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley were joined by Neil Dudgeon, who plays DCI John Barnaby.

Holly Willoughby is set to appear in the final episode of the season, which is called The Witches of Angel’s Rise.

In the clip, Holly is seen being interviewed before John Barnaby arrives with his colleague DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) and the duo spots her. Naturally, this is the perfect time for a bit of banter between the pair.

"Is that the queen of daytime?", Jamie asks, to which John replies: "Gloria Hunniford? Are you sure?"

When asked what Holly was doing in Midsomer, Neil said: "Well, she's sort of a friend of the show I suppose — she's a great fan of the show and we're always looking to broaden our casting net."

Discussing her cameo further, which was filmed two years ago, he added: "She was great, she was thoroughly professional.

"I think she was a bit nervous when she first arrived. She’s playing a character called Holly Willoughby, I wouldn’t like to say that it’s herself."

Holly's scene has been shared on YouTube where she's shown speaking to the two detectives, particularly DS Jamie Winter who seems to have taken a shine to her.

Meanwhile, there's another great guest star in the season finale as EastEnders star Colin Salmon has joined the star-studded lineup. 

In an interview with What to Watch, Colin teased his character and said: "Gerard King, at his core, is not a bad man. He has a weakness and, for whatever reason, he does what he does, but he has a sensitivity which is why I think he is good at what he does. 

"He’s a man with a big heart who has allowed himself to weaken and prey on the weaknesses of others. There is an element of performance to being a spirit medium which is important, but not when it’s used to get power over people, that leads to some issues." 

Midsomer Murders season 22 concludes on Sunday, August 27 on ITV1 at 8 pm. It will also be available on ITVX.

Colin Salmon is ready to spook us in the latest episode of Midsomer Murders! Ritual magic, spiritual visions and tarot cards are part and parcel of the otherworldly goings on in this particular mystery called The Witches of Angel’s Rise, the sixth and final episode in Midsomer Murders season 22.

The case begins after the body of a young woman, Tilly Mulroney (Erin Mullen), is discovered on the ground by an ancient tower on the eve of a psychic fayre. She has been stabbed with a crystal wand while symbolic artifacts and a Tarot card – the devil card – surround her.  

As DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) investigate, they are told that the victim had recently been sacked by scientist Peter Saint-Stephens (Clive Mantle) and his wife Jeanie (Caroline Lee-Johnson), who host the annual fayre at their stately home. 

The event has attracted all manner of mediums, psychics and followers of the occult, including psychic medium Gerard King, played by Colin Salmon. Although charming and charismatic, Gerard has enemies, including other members of the mystic community. Look out for a cameo Midsomer appearance by Holly Willoughby playing herself.

Here, EastEnders star Colin, 61, also recently seen in the Alan Carr sitcom Changing Ends, tells us about his role in the latest Midsomer Murders whodunnit…

Interview: Colin Salmon on playing Gerard King in Midsomer Murders

What can you reveal about your Midsomer Murders character Gerard?
Colin Salmon says: "Gerard King, at his core, is not a bad man. He has a weakness and, for whatever reason, he does what he does, but he has a sensitivity which is why I think he is good at what he does. He’s a man with a big heart who has allowed himself to weaken and prey on the weaknesses of others. There is an element of performance to being a spirit medium which is important, but not when it’s used to get power over people, that leads to some issues." 

Why do some people, such as self-proclaimed witches Sally Ann Barker (Tracy-Ann Oberman) and Rachel Finn (Sarah Paul), have a problem with Gerard King?
Colin says: "They’re all women and he is a male in that world and I think he is abusive of that. There is a clash based on an understanding of what he’s up to and it’s a fair conflict for them. I also think from my point of view as a black man who lives out in the countryside, who has a bit of celebrity and uniqueness, that’s an interesting part of his toolkit and he’s not using it well. He is using every weapon he can to assert power and he has come up against formidable women." 

Are you interested in mysticism yourself?
Colin says: "My mother and I have an uncanny connection, she’s always known everything I was up to, she knows all! We had a spiritual connection and through being around that alternative life of early punk and Glastonbury, I definitely leaned into it and enjoyed the power of mysticism. I’ve had my tarot card read and I’ve been to a spirit medium, and I am very respectful of it."

Did you have an inkling of who the killer was when you first read the script? 
Colin reveals: "No, I didn’t, not at all. It echoed a bit of Hammer House of Horror in its style and yet felt sexy and fun. I was really pleased to be a part of it but in terms of the actual plotline, I didn’t guess. Whilst I wouldn’t say that anyone was justified in what they did, so much happens to so many people anyone could have crossed that line and that makes for a good whodunnit."

Are you a fan of murder mysteries?
"Colin says: "It’s a really interesting genre. In an imaginary sense, everyone’s had those moments in life where they think, ‘God I could kill you’. Obviously they wouldn’t, but in an alternative universe you get to."

What about detective stories in general?
Colin Salmon says: "My TV debut was in Prime Suspect 2 [Colin played cop Robert Oswald in the acclaimed ITV police procedural in 1992] – and writer Lynda La Plante is extraordinary. Anthony Horowitz is too, I recently read his [2016 novel] Magpie Murders and it is genius. We are really good at it here; I love it! Funnily enough, I’ve just done an Audible [an online audiobook service] playing Sherlock Holmes, with Stephen Fry as my John Watson – The Hound of the Baskervilles. Author Arthur Conan Doyle was very much into the spiritualist church and yet he created a character that questions superstition and makes it scientific. I think it’s a good genre for that as we want to get to the bottom of things – or endeavor to – in life."

Was it fun working with Midsomer regulars Neil Dudgeon and Nick Hendrix?
Colin Salmon says: "Yes, really fun! And just to watch Neil – he’s like a rock, he just stands and observes quietly then walks away and mulls it all over, no histrionics. He has a quiet understanding and that’s interesting to watch. In this story, you see Nick’s DS Winter going through a bereavement [the death of his grandfather] and what that brings to his character is fantastic to watch, as he leans into the grief and allows himself to be still and in that stillness he sees things."  

Finally, would you want to live in Midsomer?
Colin Salmon says: "Well, my grandparents lived out in Northamptonshire and I do love those countryside areas but I am a bit more of an urban animal. I like noise and creating my own quiet within the noise. Maybe in a few years’ time I could settle down and write a book out there, although the murder rate is a bit too high for me!"

When is Colin Salmon starring in Midsomer Murders?

You can watch Colin Salmon in Midsomer Murders: The Witches of Angel’s Rise on Sunday August 27 on ITV1 at 8pm. It will also be available in the UK on the streaming service ITVX.

Midsomer Murders explores backstage rivalries and theatrical tensions in its latest episode, which involves the hunt for a killer who is stalking an operatic society.

The new installment of Midsomer Murders season 22, airing in the UK on Sunday, May 28 at 8pm on ITV1, sees Sarah Barnaby (Fiona Dolman) the headmistress wife of DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), being asked to perform with the Midsomer Mummers by her former colleague Jeremy Whittingdale, played by Inspector Morse and Lewis star Kevin Whately.

But as the Mummers get ready to put on a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, a body is discovered in the prop pirate chest and Barnaby and his colleague DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) have to investigate.

What To Watch caught up with Fiona Dolman for a chat to find out more about the new episode of Midsomer Murders…

Midsomer Murders is taking to the stage in this episode! What can you tell us about it?

“The pressure is on to identify the deceased and unmask the killer before they murder again… It was such fun, it might be my favourite one I've done! It has all the ingredients of a classic Midsomer — an amateur operatic society is ripe for murder!” 

Does Sarah enjoy being a Midsomer Mummer?

“She loves it. Normally she's organising things so she likes the freedom and it’s fun to catch up with Jeremy, because they’re friends from way back.”

And was it fun co-starring with Kevin Whately?

“Yes, I’m a huge fan. He liked sitting back and letting someone else detect! We need Neil to go on forever though, so I said to Kevin, ‘Tell him you miss detecting!’ But the joy for Kevin was doing something involving music, that’s his big love.”

What was it like filming at a real theatre — The Mill at Sonning, Berkshire?

“Beautiful — I remember sitting by the river there with the sun setting. Also, because of COVID, it was the first time most of the actors had set foot in a theatre for a while. I cried!”

Are you a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan?

“My father was in amateur dramatics and an operatic society when I was young and he did a lot of Gilbert and Sullivan and I watched rehearsals for The Pirates of Penzance when I was probably about seven or eight, so this was hugely emotional. My dad would have loved it.”

Did you like wearing the amazing outfits in the episode?

“I had this fantastic wig, boots and bloomers and even skull and crossbones earrings! Our costume designer Sue Thomson made it look sumptuous and beautiful. Visually, it's a stunning episode.”

This is Neil’s 50th episode of Midsomer Murders, what do you love about working with him?

“We laugh a lot and we like each other a lot. We have a shorthand now, we feel like a married couple. If you had an egomaniac at the top, it would make for a tricky production but Neil’s the opposite of that. He always wants the guests to take centre stage.”

Do you have any favourite murders from Midsomer?

“We’ve had some corkers! Probably my favourite murder is the one [in 2005] with Oliver Ford Davies, who used to play my uncle in Heartbeat. In Midsomer Murders, he was pinned to the ground and a trebuchet fired bottles of wine at him to kill him, which is inspired. 

“And it was disgusting but I liked the one [in 2011] where they got a machine that shakes trees to get the apples off it and the machine shook someone to death! And then, obviously, poor Martine McCutcheon who got killed by cheese [in 2013]. That’s an absolute classic. And bless her because she was a big name and she was so excited to experience death by cheese!”

And would you like a Sarah Barnaby spin-off?!

“Neil and I talk about it a lot! We’d like to go somewhere near the sea and Barnaby could investigate local crimes — like somebody stealing a garden gnome — meanwhile, something serious is happening and Sarah's dealing with that! But I’d like to stay in Midsomer for as long as possible. If that involves Winter eventually just wheeling Barnaby about, that's fine!”

Midsomer Murders airs on Sunday 28 May at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. It is available in the US on Acorn TV.

Midsomer Murders is back for a dramatic new episode involving a series of deaths linked to an amateur operatics society.

The latest installment of the long-running crime drama, which is the fifth episode of Midsomer Murders season 22 which began back in 2021, is entitled 'For Death Prepare'. The episode airs on ITV1 in the UK and features a host of guest stars as DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) tackle a baffling new case.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new episode of Midsomer Murders…

Midsomer Murders — what is the release date?

'For Death Prepare' airs in the UK on Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 8 pm on ITV1 and will also be available on streaming site ITVX. It is available in the US on Acorn TV.

Midsomer Murders — what is the plot of the episode?

Amateur operatics society the Midsomer Mummers are putting on a charity concert version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance to mark their centenary. 

When a man’s body is discovered buried in a prop pirate chest, however, Barnaby and Winter investigate, but nobody seems to know who the victim is… 

The cops soon unearth bitter tensions, illicit liaisons and worries over the future of the society’s family-run theatre. But as the body count rises, will the show go on?

“This episode is fantastically fun and the story’s based around an opera, so we have some top-notch West End musical stars," reveals Neil Dudgeon.

Midsomer Murders — who is in the cast?

Alongside Neil Dudgeon as Barnaby and Nick Hendrix as Winter, Annette Badland is back as wry pathologist Fleur Perkins and Fiona Dolman returns as Barnaby’s wife Sarah, who is asked to take part in the performance by her old friend Jeremy Whittingdale, played by Kevin Whately. 

Tessa Wong (The Capture) plays Jeremy’s daughter Phoebe, who has returned from traveling and also appears in the concert.

“Jeremy’s daughter is the apple of his eye and she is trying to form a relationship with him but he isn’t happy with what she is doing with her life,” reveals Inspector Morse and Lewis star Whately, who was thrilled to show off his musical talents and also let someone else play detective.

“I’ve done a lot of musical theatre and I’m a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan. That’s the reason I did this episode, it seemed like great fun all of us having a little sing. But it was also great working with Neil Dudgeon and having a chat with him to compare notes. It can be a lonely job leading a detective series because everyone depends on you so heavily, you almost become a father figure to the whole unit, it is damned hard work!”

Also in the cast are Samantha Spiro (Sex Education, Inside No 9) as Phyllis Fernsby, the director of the Mummers, whose upper-crust family also owns the theatre where the concert is being performed. Jane Bertish (This England) plays her imperious aunt Lady Katisha Empson.

Shobna Gulati (Coronation Street, Dinnerladies, My Name is Leon) also appears as down-trodden stage manager Shalia Handsworth, whose husband Graham, played by David Rubin (Vera, Doctor Who), makes her life difficult.

Alexander Hanson (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) plays publican Marcus Dunlow, who takes to the stage as the Pirate King, while Jenna Russell (EastEnders, Born and Bred) plays his wife Faith and Dylan Wood (Casualty, Sister Boniface Mysteries) plays their son, Luke.

Musical theatre star Clive Rowe (The Evermoor Chronicles) plays shy stagehand Derek Sharrow, while Rajat M Bose (Emmerdale) is shady doctor Simon Charteris.

Midsomer Murders — what else do we know?

The episode marks the 50th outing for Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby and the actor received a big surprise on set.

“I didn’t realise it was my 50th episode until I arrived on location and there was a crowd of people. On a table was a cake with Barnaby, Sarah, Betty [the Barnabys’ daughter] and Paddy [their dog] made of icing. And standing with a knife in his hand was the great Kevin Whately!” he says. 

“As an actor, a job that lasts more than three months is long. To have done Midsomer for so many years and 50+ episodes is unbelievable. But I’d have been lost without Fiona and my three brilliant Sergeants. I’ve been blessed.”

Is there a trailer for Midsomer Murders episode 'For Death Prepare'?

No, sadly ITV hasn't released a trailer, but if one arrives we will add it to this guide. 

There's good news for Midsomer Murders fans becasue the episode that was bumped off the schedules back in January has finally been given an air date. 

The episode, titled 'For Death Prepare', was meant to air on ITV on January 8, however it was dropped at the very last moment to make way for Harry: The Interview, a one-off interview with the Duke of Sussex. 

Fans weren't happy that the stand alone Midsomer Murders episode got bumped for ITV's exclusive 90-minute documentary that Prince Harry recorded ahead of the release of his bombshell book, Spare — but now the wait to find out whodunnit is over after the crime drama has been given a new air date for this weekend at 8pm on Sunday, May 28 on ITV1. 

The episode will see DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) returning to their super sleuthing after a body is found in a treasure chest prop on the set of an amateur dramatics production — and the episode also marks Neil 50th appearance as DCI John Barnaby. 

Kevin Whately, Shobna Gulati and Samantha Spiro are all due to guest star in the scrapped episode which will see Barnaby and Winter race against time to find out who the killer is before the body count starts to pile up. 

DCI John Barnaby becomes caught up in deadly drama with the local amateur dramatics society when a body is discovered in rehearsals. However, it turns out this is a family affair becasue his wife, Sarah (Fiona Dolman), is roped into the production by a former colleague. Could she become the next victim? 

Guest star Kevin Whately is also taking a starring role in the episode, and after years of solving crimes in shows like Inspector Morse and Lewis, Kevin is returning to the world of crime drama... but this time as a suspect. 

You can watch Midsomer Murders episode 'For Death Prepare' on Sunday, May 28 on  ITV at 8pm. You will also be able to stream the epsiode after it has aired on ITVX. 

Midsomer Murders fans have been waiting patiently for new episodes to arrive on ITV, and now the wait has been extended after the show was bumped off the schedules this weekend for Harry: The Interview, a one-off interview with the Duke of Sussex. 

The original schedules saw Midsomer Murders airing on ITV1 at 8 pm on Sunday, January 8, with DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) returning to their super sleuthing after a body is found in a treasure chest prop on the set of an amateur dramatics production. 

Kevin Whately, Shobna Gulati and Samantha Spiro are all due to guest star in the scrapped episode which will see Barnaby and Winter race against time to find out who the killer is before the body count starts to pile up. 

Sadly, fans of the detective drama will have to wait a little longer to find out whodunnit after the new mystery was dropped to make way for ITV's exclusive 90-minute documentary that Prince Harry has recorded ahead of the release of his bombshell book, Spare.

In the new documentary, Harry will sit down with journalist and ITV News at Ten presenter Tom Bradby for an in-depth chat about his past and present, while also taking a look at his hopes for the future. 

But Midsomer Murders fans aren't happy that Harry's interview has taken the place of their favorite show and they've taken to social media to share their anger...

There is no news yet about when the new episode of Midsomer Murders will be shown, but it is thought to be the early half of this year and we will update you as soon as a new time and date have been confirmed. 

Harry: The Interview is a 90-minute program and will air on ITV1 at 9 pm on Sunday, January 8. You will be able to catch up on the interview on ITVX after it has aired. 

Since Midsomer Murders launched on ITV in 1997, viewers have been addicted to the picturesque scenery, compelling mysteries and the ever-ingenious murder methods deployed by the many killers of Midsomer County. 

The show will be celebrating its anniversary on Sunday, May 29 when the tribute documentary Midsomer Murders: 25 Years Of Mayhem airs on ITV at 7pm, and immediately afterward, viewers can enjoy a brand new mystery called 'The Scarecrow Murders'.

The latest investigation for DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) involves the death of PR expert Naomi Ashcroft (Emily Bevan), whose body is propped up in a shop window and padded with straw just as Little Upton is holding its annual Scarecrow Festival. 

Naomi's untimely end attracts the attention of local journalist Caitlin Dawson (Jessica Ellerby), who's keen to investigate — and also happens to be Winter's ex-girlfriend.

Fans of the show might have already noticed a particularly canny piece of casting here, as Nick and Jessica are married in real-life — so we caught up with Nick to chat about the latest case, Midsomer's big anniversary and what it was like to act opposite his wife...

• Midsomer Murders: The Scarecrow Murders airs on ITV on Sunday, May 29 at 8pm

A Midsomer murder mystery weekend becomes a gruesome reality when an actual killer strikes in this week's Midsomer Murders mystery called Happy Families, which starts on Sunday Oct. 3 on ITV at 8pm. The episode is written by Nick Hicks-Beach.

Here, Midsomers' main guest star Adrian Edmondson, gives us a taste of what to expect...

Adrian on what happens in Midsomer Murders episode Happy Families?

In this Midsomer story, the murder mystery party is thrown by Eleanor Karras (Hollington Drive star Rachael Stirling) who is the pregnant wife of Victor Karras (Stuart Milligan), the head of prestigious board game firm Karras Games. She sees it as a fitting way to celebrate her husband’s 70th birthday. 

Guests gather for the occasion at Hulton Manor, a sprawling stately home on a private island, and among them are Hugo Welles, played by Adrian Edmonson.

"Hugo’s an unsuccessful actor who’s found a niche in presenting murder mystery weekends. He always plays the detective,’"explains Adrian, aka Ade Edmondson, who became best know for co-writing and starring in the BBC's cult student comedy The Young Ones in the 1980s before starring as Daniel Cook in EastEnders in recent years and the BBC1 drama The Pact earlier this year. 

"Hugo Welles is bumptious, pedantic and vain, and believes his sleuthing abilities are much better than any real-life detective. He’s an idiot in a clever person’s clothing"

A storm rages adding to the atmosphere of the murder game, but the proceedings come to abrupt halt when man-of-the-hour Victor tumbles down the stairs and is impaled on a life-size Egyptian figure, killing him for real! 

But after Midsomer duo DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) arrive on the island to investigate, they discover that Victor had been poisoned and was dead before he fell!  

With the storm getting worse and the only means of transportation off the island - a chain ferry -washed away, Barnaby and Winter are trapped  with Victor’s family and friends - one of whom is the killer! High on the list of suspects is Hugo’s wife Helen, played by Caroline Quentin (see our main picture above).

"Bizarrely - as we have worked in the same business and in similar parts of that business for 40 years, Caroline Quentin and I hadn’t worked together before," says Adrian. "But we have a very similar sense of humour so we made each other laugh a lot."

Adrian's thoughts on Midsomer and storms...

Adrian is pretty sure he wouldn't like to live in a place like Midsomer... “Midsomer is an anachronistic, 1950s idea of what Britain is like, or was like. It’s fun to look at it, like it’s fun to look at old postcards, but I wouldn’t want to live there. However I did once stay in a cottage that had been used as a location – there was a steady stream of people lining up outside to have their picture taken with the cottage in the background.”

So has Adrian ever been stranded somewhere due to freak weather, as happens to the murder mystery party in Midsomer this week?  “I live on Dartmoor and have often been cut off during the winter, sometimes without electricity. The longest period was three days — it was just myself and my youngest daughter — and we huddled round the fire and had a rather jolly time of it. We eventually had to drive the quad bike through the snow drifts down to the village for supplies. It felt like a proper adventure.”

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Midsomer Murders Season 22 is about to begin on ITV. And there is a buzz in the air when DCI Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and his trusty sidekick, DS Jamie Winter, played by Nick Hendrix, find themselves called to beautiful manor house, Apley Court, producers of top of the range honey, for their first investigation. 

Welsh actor and comedian Griff Rhys Jones stars as pompous Lord of the Manor and obsessive bee keeper, Ambrose Deddington, who finds himself under attack by a masked assailant and it's not long before a dead body is found, covered in swarming bees. 

Midsomer, now on its 22nd series, has kept audiences around the world gripped with its gruesome and madcap murders and is the UK's longest running detective drama. 

Filming on some of this year's episodes had to take place under strict Covid guidelines because of the pandemic. Neil, 60, said, "The first morning on set it was quite unnerving seeing everyone socially-distanced and in masks but within 15 minutes of filming I'd slipped back into the wacky world of Midsomer with frightening ease!"

Midsomer Murders Season 22 release date.

Midsomer Murders Season 22 starts on Sunday March 21 at 8pm on ITV. It is likely to be heading to Acorn TV in the US. See below for lots of options to watch past series!

How many episodes will there be?

There will be four new episodes in total. 

What intriguing new plots are there in Midsomer Murders and who are the guest stars? 

EPISODE ONE: The Sting Of Death 

Beautiful manor house, Apley Court which produces top of the range honey, is targeted and the owner attacked by a mystery masked assailant. Before long, a body is discovered on the village green, swarming with bees. 

GUEST STARS  include Griff Rhys Jones, Imogen Stubbs, Wendi Peters, Jack Fox and Derek Griffiths. 

EPISODE TWO: With Baited Breath 

Fishermen flock to the village of Solomon Gorge, desperate to catch the mysterious giant fish rumoured to be living in the lake. However, the anglers are up in arms when hundreds of lycra-clad sports enthusiasts descend on the area to take part in the Psycho Mud Run. When a body is found floating in the lake Barnaby and Winter are called to investigate. 

GUEST STARS include Aneurin Barnard, Nicola Stephenson, Nitin Ganatra, Miles Jupp and Bronagh Waugh 

EPISODE THREE: The Wolf Hunter Of Little Worthy 

It’s Halloween and a local photographer wins an urban myth competition with his creation of The Wolf Hunter. But is there really something sinister lurking in the woods for real and has the myth now become a murderous reality? 

GUEST STARS include Mark Williams, Siobhan Redmond and Louise Jameson.

EPISODE FOUR: The Stitcher Society

A local outcast, who was acquitted of murder years previously, joins a social health club in Tamworth Springs for recovering heart bypass patients. When the club founder, Reuben, is discovered murdered, the fingers start pointing! 

GUEST STARS include Keith Allen, John Thomson, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd and Nimmy March. 

This will be Neil Dudgeon's tenth year in the role of DCI John Barnaby

Neil told us, "I never had any idea it would go on this long. When I first started I thought, 'I'll give it a try and hope I don't destroy the show inside one episode.' That would be very embarrassing after John Nettles had done it so marvellously for 13 years (as DCI Tom Barnaby). But we got through that first series, and when they wanted to do it again, I thought, 'Hurrah'!"

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Father Brown actor Mark Williams among the guest stars for the next run of Midsomer Murders

Midsomer Murders has started filming a remarkable 22nd series of the ITV hit, starring Neil Dudgeon.

Dudgeon returns as DCI John Barnaby for his 10th year in the role, with Nick Hendrix back as DS Jamie Winter.

Also coming back to help solve murders in Britain’s most dangerous place is Annette Badland as pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins. Fiona Dolman returns as Sarah Barnaby and canine fans will be pleased to hear that Paddy the dog, Barnaby’s faithful companion, is back.

Neil Dudgeon says: “Everyone is excited to get back to work. Sadly there won’t be as much hugging and kissing on set as usual but we’ve all got to make sacrifices! It’s bound to be a bit strange at first with all the safety protocols but hopefully we can all keep each other safe and shoot another great series.”

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In a nice twist in the TV detecting world, Father Brown actor Mark Williams will guest star in the first film. Other guest names announced for the first film include Sherlock’s Amanda Abbington and Van Der Valk’s Maimie McCoy.

In typical Midsomer Murders style the plots sound quite eccentric for the 22nd series. We’re promised murders involving “a twisted scarecrow festival” and one revolving around “a post-operative heart rehabilitation club whose members’ dreams of a second chance at life are cut short”.

Executive producer Michele Buck says “We are very pleased ITV has asked us to produce more Midsomer Murders. We will have our signature mix of tantalising mysteries, wonderful guest stars and stunning locations while also maintaining a safe working environment for all our cast and crew in these current challenging circumstances.”

The six part new series is expected on air in 2021 (see our TV guide for more shows to enjoy).

Neil still loves making it!

Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon has opened up about his future on the show.

The actor, who has played DCI John Barnaby on the mystery show ever since 2010 when John Nettles left the show, has spoken about whether he will be sticking around on the show for a while or not.

And it sounds like fans can rest easy for now, as it seems like he's not ready to leave just yet.

"I've been doing Midsomer Murders for… it’ll be ten years this year,” he told Radio Times.

“I started in 2010. I started wanting to do it because I’ve always loved Midsomer Murders, and I've gone on doing it because – I suppose I still love Midsomer Murders, really."

Revealing his plans for the future, he continued, "I’ve got no intention of stopping doing it. I don’t know what else I’d do. I’m in a very fortunate position.

“I think it’s such a great show that, one always assumes – when you’re an actor you always think, whatever job I’m doing, it’s going to end next week and that’ll be it, I won’t work again.

“But no, I think that as long as ITV wants to make it and people want to keep commissioning it, as long as people want to keep watching it, it’s a great show to do."

Let’s hope Neil stays around for a while!

Midsomer Murders fan Kelly had a 'hoot' playing a bride

Midsomer Murders viewers will be treated to a typically bizarre death when the ITV hit returns on Monday 6th January with Kelly Brook guest starring as the unfortunate victim.

Neil Dudgeon is back as DCI John Barnaby along with Nick Hendrix as his sidekick DS Jamie Winter in the new episode going out at 8.30pm tonight.

The plot sees poor Barnaby dragged along to a wedding, but things liven up considerably when he and Winter find themselves at the centre of a murder investigation when the bride, controversial radio talk-show host Laurel Newman (guest star Kelly Brook), is found dead.

It’s been previously reported that Kelly’s guest appearance doesn’t last long before she’s killed, although it’s also been said that she will appear later in the episode in a flashback scene. And Kelly has described making a cameo appearance on Midsomer Murders as being a “hoot”.

MORE: All the clues and answers revealed from the special Midsomer episode

Back to the plot and in a cruel twist, the murderer apparently “squeezed to death” the bride using her own wedding dress corset! Her husband Gavin suggests that Laurel’s death must be to do with her outspoken nature on her radio show...

Meanwhile, Barnaby and Winter’s investigations take them to a local wedding fayre. However, the pair have another murder to investigate when someone is brutally killed with a tampered confetti cannon! It seems the murderer has a taste for slaying brides as the victim is also dressed in white.

Can Barnaby and Winter catch the killer in the story titled Till Death Us Do Part?

Midsomer Murders returns to ITV on Monday 6th January at 8.30pm.

We reveal the clues and answers to this evening's special Midsomer Murders episode which got fans playing detective to celebrate 20 series of the drama....

Eagle-eyed fans of Midsomer Murders were in for a treat in tonight’s episode when they were given the chance to take part in a special “Easter Egg” hunt from the comfort of their sofas.

To celebrate the much-loved drama’s 20^th series, writers and producers sprinkled the special episode, entitled Death of Small Coppers, with 20 carefully hidden clues that made reference to the previous 19 series.

Speaking to TV Times ahead of the screening, star Neil Dudgeon, who has played DCI John Barnaby since 2010 said, "It’s an Easter egg hunt in the Midsomer Garden. I don’t think I’d get more than eight! But fans who know the show better than me will enjoy it. Although there are so many bizarre things in a Midsomer episode, perhaps another 20 will hardly register!"

So, for those of you who played along did you fare better than Neil?

Find out here as we reveal all the cunningly placed clues from start to finish and the names of the Midsomer Murders episodes they refer to from the show’s 22 year history….

Clue 1. A crossroad sign pointing to Newton Magna.

Answer: Who Killed Cock Robin, series 4, episode 4.

Clue 2. A Cyclist wearing the Midsomer Team T-shirt.

Answer: Breaking the Chain, series 18, episode 3.

Clue 3. A crossword clue that read, "A village whose black and white inhabitants migrate"...

Answer: Written next to it was the answer Badgers Drift, the show's first ever episode back in 1997.

Clue 4. A crossword clue that read: A French Bill, his sword beheaded many.

Answer: "Guillaume"- The Sword of Guillaume, series 13, episode 2.

Clue 5. A crossword clue that read: Five between solider.

Answer: Parva - The Straw Woman, series 7, episode 6.

Clue 6. A Green Man pub sign.

Answer: The Green Man, series 7, episode 1.

Clue 7.  A bottle of Midsomer Vinae.

Answer: Vintage Murder, series 17, episode 4.

Clue 8. A pitch fork that killed Orlando Bloom.

Answer: Judgement Day, series 3, episode 3.

Clue 9. A crossword clue that read: Fast choir ails the poisonous flower. Luke writes in the answer ‘Orchis Fatalis’.

Answer: Orchis Fatalis, series 8, episode 3.

Clue 10. Troy Vale is referenced in dialogue

Answer: Troy Vale, series 1 to Series 7.

Clue 11. Kite in the sky.

Answer: Bird of Prey, season six, episode 5

Clue 12. Henry Hodgson Print.

Answer: The Black Room, series 12, episode 2

Clue 13. Radio playing 'Curse of the Ninth'

Answer: Curse of the Ninth, series 19, episode 6

Clue 14. Plummers relish jar on the table.

Answer: Sauce for the Good, series 8, episode 7.

Clue 15. Calder’s biscuit tin seen on a table.

Answer: The Killings in Copenhagen, series 16, episode 5

Clue 16. Midsomer Life magazines seen on the floor.

Answer: Midsomer Life, series 11, episode 8.

Clue 17. A vintage car rolls by.

Answer: Death in the Slow Lane, series 14, episode 1.

Clue 18. A radio plays The Ballad of Midsomer.

Answer: The Ballad of Midsomer County, series 17, episode 3.

Clue 19. A rock song plays on the radio.

Answer: The Axeman Cometh, series 10, episode 4.

Clue 20. A chess set is seen.

Answer: Sicilian Defence, series 15, episode 5.

Fans of Midsomer Murders are in for a treat as the 20th series comes to a close…

Fans of Midsomer Murders are in for a treat as the 20th series comes to a close…

Investigating bizarre killings is all in a day’s work for DCI Barnaby and DS Winter in Midsomer Murders, but this week’s case is particularly macabre when a butterfly collector is asphyxiated and pinned to the wall through his abdomen, just like one of his specimens.

As ever, the Causton CID team have lots of suspects to sift through, all played by top guest stars including Mark Benton (pictured above with Neil Dudgeon and Nick Hendrix) and Peter Egan. Then Winter gets romantically involved with a young butterfly enthusiast and becomes a target for the killer!

Superfans can also look out for 20 ‘Easter eggs’ – hidden clues that refer to events from all 19 previous series. After the episode, check out our list on whatsontv.co.uk to see if you spotted them all…

TV Times rating: ****

Neil Dudgeon on what’s in store as Midsomer Murders celebrates its 20th series

Neil Dudgeon is back as stoic DCI John Barnaby to crack more weird and wonderful cases as Midsomer Murders clocks up its 20th series this week. While there are plenty of celebrations in store for the landmark run, Barnaby and sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) have a tough first investigation on their hands as they look into a killing at a cursed abbey-turned-brewery.

Here, Neil Dudgeon tells TV Times what to expect in the 20th series of Midsomer Murders…

TV Times: How does it feel to be celebrating the 20th series?

Neil Dudgeon: “Unbelievable isn’t it?! It’s testament to all the people who’ve worked on it. We’ve always had wonderful guests and people like murders and the countryside! I hope it’s retained that unique, quirky Midsomer tone.”

TVT: Next week’s second episode has 20 ‘Easter eggs’, which are hidden references to previous series for fans to spot…

ND: “Yes, it's an Easter egg hunt in the Midsomer garden. I don’t think I’d get more than eight! But fans who know the show better than me will enjoy it. Although there are so many bizarre things in a Midsomer episode perhaps another 20 will hardly register!”

TVT: Annette Badland joins this time as pathologist Fleur Perkins. Is it nice having new blood?

ND: “We always have lots of blood! Annette’s wonderful. Fleur’s an experienced, tough, independent-minded woman who stands her ground and is cheeky and there are hints about men from her past. Paddy - Barnaby’s dog - is not keen - she wants him to have the snip!”

TVT: What can you reveal about the murders coming up?

ND:  “That's the joy of Midsomer - the brilliant ways writers come up with for killing people. Someone’s boiled to death in the first one, which guests stars Elaine Paige and Anita Harris, who were wonderful! Then in the second, we have butterfly collectors and rivalries in a society for people of high intelligence. Is there more to it than meets the IQ?!”

TVT: Can you imagine handing in your warrant card any time soon?

ND: “There may come a point when I’m too decrepit but I can’t imagine not carrying on. There’s endless room to continue because Midsomer reinvents itself with a different milieu each time. And it’s a fallacy when people say, ‘Is anyone left in Midsomer?’ In 20 series, there's been about 350 murders - about 17 a year over a large county. That's nothing, more people die in farming accidents than Midsomer!”

Midsomer Murders returns on Sunday 10 March at 8pm on ITV

As Midsomer Murders returns for a new six-part series, have they run out of bizarre murder methods in the sleepy county? Not at all!

As Midsomer Murders returns for a new six-part series, have they run out of bizarre murder methods in the sleepy county? Not at all!

It’s hard to believe that 20 series of Midsomer Murders have gone by since our initial visit to the ill-fated county to witness the first of many untimely deaths!

Tonight, TV’s most fun-filled crime drama marks the milestone with a cracking opener set at a brewery launch on the site of Causton Abbey.

The next day, a local writer is found boiled to death in a vat of beer, echoing the execution of a monk who placed a curse on the abbey 500 years earlier… and there are plenty of people who could have dunnit!

Angela Griffin, Jason Merrells, Anita Harris, Elaine Paige and Bodyguard’s Anjli Mohindra are among the starry suspects.

TV Times rating: *****

Neil Dudgeon, 58, (DCI John Barnaby), and Nick Hendrix (DS Jamie Winter), 33, join us for a chat about the six-part series (episodes three to six are set to air later this year) and reveal why there’s still plenty of life left in the show yet…

How does it feel to celebrate the 20th series of Midsomer Murders?

Neil: Unbelievable, isn’t it? We have always had wonderful guests, and people like murders and the countryside! I hope it’s retained that unique Midsomer tone.

Nick: We went to an amazing dinner for the 20th series. The previous sidekicks came – there was no rivalry!

In next week’s episode, there are 20 hidden ‘Easter eggs’, which are references to previous episodes…

Neil: Yes, it’s an Easter egg hunt in the Midsomer garden. I don’t think I’d get more than eight! But fans who know the show better than me will enjoy it. Although there are so many bizarre things in a Midsomer episode, perhaps another 20 will hardly register!

Nick: One’s a big old car from a previous series, and it was beautiful. The references acknowledge people’s commitment over the years, so they’re a nice reward.

Annette Badland appears in this series as pathologist Fleur Perkins. Is it nice having new blood?

Neil: We always have lots of blood! Annette’s wonderful. Fleur is a tough, cheeky, independent-minded woman who stands her ground.

Nick: The pathologist character has fun potential now, which is great because Midsomer’s not Luther or Happy Valley.

She’s like [James Bond’s gadget guru] Q schooling Winter and Barnaby, saying, ‘Don’t touch that!’ People will love her.

When a musician is brutally murdered, strangled by a violin string, Barnaby and Winter are thrust into the world of classical music

When a musician is brutally murdered, strangled by a violin string, Barnaby and Winter are thrust into the world of classical music.

James Fleet does a star turn as a fading maestro, with his Four Weddings and a Funeral co-star Simon Callow playing a wonderfully sozzled viola player.

As the body count mounts, amid rumours of a curse, the chemistry between Kam and Winter continues to fizz…

The past collides with the future as DCI Barnaby and DS Winter return to solve more murders...

 The past collides with the future as DCI Barnaby and DS Winter return to solve more murders.

When the body of a woman dressed in Georgian costume is found, a couple who run Jane Austen-themed weekends, James and Kitty Oswood (Samuel West and Claire Skinner) are questioned.

Meanwhile, a local firm using drones comes under suspicion when a second body is discovered…

Ex-Corrie star Susie Blake guests.

Annette Badland, AKA Albert Square's Aunt Babe, will play a pathologist in the 20th anniversary series of Midsomer Murders

Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby and Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter will be joined by a new pathologist  – Dr Fleur Perkins (Annette Badland) – in the 20th anniversary series of ITV's Midsomer Murders.

Annette, best known for playing the fiendish Aunt Babe in EastEnders, said: "I have always enjoyed living dangerously so arriving at Midsomer is thrilling! In truth I'm delighted to be involved in the 20th series of Midsomer Murders and to work alongside and be part of this creative team. I hope Fleur can assist Barnaby in maintaining his high success rate of crime detection. She is very good at her job."

Also returning this series is Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby, followed closely by Paddy the dog as the Barnabys’ faithful canine companion. Guest casting will be announced at a later date.

Midsomer's executive producer, Jonathan Fisher, added. "It is a real privilege to be leading this iconic British detective series into its landmark 20th year.  As part of our celebrations, we will be treating our very loyal audience with nods back to some of the most memorable moments of the show’s history.

"Meanwhile we are thrilled to welcome the wonderfully talented Annette Badland to the cast as our formidable new pathologist Fleur Perkins. We’re sure Fleur will prove to be a vibrant and much-loved Midsomer character."

Storylines for the new series – which begins filming later this month – include  Barnaby and Winter investigating a cursed brewery, an elite intellectual society with a dark past, a killer comic book festival and a circus of horrors…

No word yet on when Midsomer Murders 20 will screen, but it's likely to be 2018.

Midsomer Murders sells to more than 220 territories worldwide and this year's series averaged 5.9m viewers and a 23 per cent share of the audience.

Another chance to see this case from last year, in which the bones of a 16th-century martyr are discovered during an archaeological dig in Midsomer

Another chance to see this case from last year, in which the bones of a 16th-century martyr are discovered during an archaeological dig in Midsomer.

While the find is a cause for celebration for some, it soon becomes apparent that the scientists are not a welcome addition to the village. When the dig’s lead archaeologist is murdered, DCI Barnaby and DS Nelson have some digging of their own to do.

As the body count rises, it becomes apparent that the murderer could be any one of a number of locals – who all have skeletons of their own to keep buried – including a corrupt vicar, a bitter historian, a jealous husband and a gun-toting farmer…

Julia Sawalha, Ruth Sheen, Ralf Little and Aden Gillett also star.

For Midsomer's 100th episode, first shown in 2014, the makers joined forces with the producers of Scandi hit The Killing to take the show abroad for the first time

For Midsomer’s 100th episode, first shown in 2014, the makers joined forces with the producers of Scandi hit The Killing to take the show abroad for the first time.

When the boss of a local biscuit company is found dead in Copenhagen, DCI John Barnaby and DS Charlie Nelson head to Denmark and team up with local cops played by The Killing's Ann Eleonora Jørgensen and Borgen’s Birgitte Hjort Sørensen.

Sanjeev Bhaskar and No Offence's Joanna Scanlan are among familiar Brit faces.

The 19th season is becoming one of our favourites yet, thanks to solid guest stars, strong cases, the welcome introduction of new sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) and the brief return of fan favourite Jason Hughes as DS, now DI, Ben Jones

The 19th season is becoming one of our favourites yet, thanks to solid guest stars, strong cases, the welcome introduction of new sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) and the brief return of fan favourite Jason Hughes as DS, now DI, Ben Jones.

We can’t wait for the next two episodes, scheduled  for later in the year! But before then, tonight’s story sees Barnaby and Winter hop to it after an estate agent is found dead, surrounded by rabbits at a small-pet show. Can they discover the motive before the body count rises?

Look out for Benidorm’s Steve Pemberton as the owner of a celebrity rabbit.

An extreme case of fast bowling leads to murder… Having cricket balls fired at you at close range is a pretty unusual way to die, even in Midsomer!

An extreme case of fast bowling leads to murder… Having cricket balls fired at you at close range is a pretty unusual way to die, even in Midsomer!

The unfortunate victim is the captain of a dynamic team who play a fast and furious style of cricket. Not everyone in the village of Lower Pampling is keen on the traditional game being overshadowed, however, while other surprising tensions also emerge…

There are some fun guest spots from veteran actors Susan Jameson and John Bird but all eyes will be on Jason Hughes when he makes a very welcome return as Barnaby's former sidekick Ben Jones, who gives his former boss a shock when he rocks up claiming to be cricketer 'Jack Morris'.

Will he tell Barnaby what on earth is going on before the killer strikes again?

Have crime fighters turned into criminals in Midsomer?

Barnaby and Winter get a run for their money in the crime-solving stakes when they encounter the Bleakridge Watch, a militant group that keeps tabs on Midsomer’s most remote village.

But when a butcher who is a member of the group is found dead in his freezer, bitter resentment against the unit's killjoy tendencies, a crime from the past and a spate of burglaries come to light as the bodies start to mount up.

Meanwhile, the intriguing history between Winter and Kam comes to the fore as they go out for a drink…

Look out for Neil Morrissey and Corrie's Katy Cavanagh, who are among the suspects along with Frances Barber and Keeping Up Appearances' Clive Swift.

There are big changes afoot for DCI Barnaby as new sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) joins him in TV’s deadliest county.

There are big changes afoot for DCI Barnaby as new sidekick DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) joins him in TV’s deadliest county.

Cheery young Jamie certainly proves his worth in his first case, which sees Hugh Dennis, Pippa Haywood, Caroline Blakiston and Sally Phillips among the suspects as a murderer strikes after a group of locals clash over plans for a village abandoned since World War Two.

Throw in an army tank and some slippery snakes as murder weapons and it’s certainly a baptism of fire!

Meanwhile, as Barnaby, Sarah and Betty (and millions of viewers!) mourn their beloved Jack Russell Sykes, could Paddy, a dog Barnaby meets during the investigation, fill the void?

There's a distinct shortage of bodies to investigate as, bizarrely, they all seem to be going missing!

There's a distinct shortage of bodies to investigate in this episode of Midsomer Murders as, bizarrely, they all seem to be going missing!

Helen Baxendale and Diana Quick guest star as members of a family whose patriarch dies of pneumonia, but when the undertaker comes to collect the body it has vanished.

And that's only the start of the body-snatching spree in this wonderfully creepy episode, first shown in January.

DCI John Barnaby will have a new sergeant as his sidekick for the forthcoming series of Midsomer Murders.

Newcomer Nick Hendrix is set to star as DS Jamie Winter, joining DCI Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) as they try to uphold the law in murder-struck Midsomer county.

Great shoot with the endlessly talented @michaelshelford #headshots #photoshoot pic.twitter.com/KOrOcrzh0o

— Nick Hendrix (@MrNHendrix) November 18, 2014

He replaces Gwilym Lee, who has played DS Charlie Nelson since 2013.

Nick, who will begin filming this week, said: “I’m genuinely thrilled to join this bastion of British TV. It’s a real privilege to be part of a hugely successful and much loved show and I am looking forward to stepping into the wonderful world of Midsomer.”

First day of school. Always exciting. #newjob

— Nick Hendrix (@MrNHendrix) April 25, 2016

The 19th series of the successful ITV crime drama will return in 2017, with six feature-length episodes.

John Barnaby is the cousin of original inspector Tom Barnaby, who first appeared in 1997 and was played by John Nettles, the former star of detective series Bergerac.

The Barnabys have worked with several different sergeants over the past two decades, including DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes), DS Dan Scott (John Hopkins) and DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey).

Gwilym Lee and Neil Dudgeon as police detectives in Midsomer Murders (ITV)

Returning to the show are Manjinder Virk as pathologist Dr Kam Karimore and Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby.

Storylines this series will include 'a deserted village full of secrets, an extreme Neighbourhood Watch, a cricket festival and a rabbit and guinea pig show,' the broadcaster has teased.

Executive producer Jo Wright said: “All the team here at Bentley (Productions) feel it’s a great privilege to be filming the latest series of Midsomer Murders, and especially to welcome the talented Nick Hendrix to the family.

Gwilym Lee, Manjinder Virk and Neil Dudgeon in Midsomer Murders (ITV)

“We are sure he will help Neil Dudgeon keep as many people as possible safe on the dangerous streets of Midsomer county.”

The previous series of Midsomer Murders averaged a consolidated audience of 6.4 million with a share of 25 per cent – its highest audience share since 2009, according to ITV figures.

Alison Steadman has enjoyed a screen and stage career spanning five decades but, until now, there has been a glaring omission on her impressive CV: a guest role in Midsomer Murders (ITV, Wednesday).  

The genteel crime drama, starring Neil Dudgeon and Gwilym Lee as DCI John Barnaby and sidekick DS Charlie Nelson, returned for an 18th series last week. And in this week’s episode, The Incident At Cooper Hill, Alison plays flamboyant UFO tour guide Abigail Tonev.

Last May, TV Times joined Alison, 69, as she filmed scenes on location at beautiful Langley Park, Buckinghamshire, to find out more…  

So, Alison, what appealed about this role?

"It sounded fun! They told me it was about UFOs and that Abigail was larger-than-life and very jolly, and then suddenly all these awful things happen to her. I’ve got a good costume too – it’s a purple jacket with a UFO logo on the back saying ‘Alien Tours.’"

In this story, Abigail’s business suddenly gets busier as there are a number of sightings of unexplained flying objects in Midsomer…

"Yes, Abigail does four tours a day. I can’t believe anybody goes out UFO-spotting, but they do. I’m not a believer. I would like to believe though."

We’ve been sworn to secrecy about what you’re filming in the woodland today, as it’s the climax to the episode. But we can reveal that real gunshots have been fired...  

"I’ve actually got earplugs in for the gunshots because they are quite loud and I have damaged nerves in one of my ears after someone fired a rifle right next to my ear in a confined space during a play I did when I was in my 20s. The level of pain when it happened was just horrible. So I don’t want any more damage."

That sounds awful. Do you have pain in your ear the whole time?

"No, I just have humming and buzzing sometimes, and if I’m in a situation where there’s a very loud noise, it makes my ear go fuzzy. The doctor explained that if the nerves in your ear are damaged at a certain level, then if I hear the same level of noise, it affects it. So, for example, if I’m in an audience at a theatre and everybody’s applauding, I have to cover my ear. But thank God my hearing is not affected."

As well as running through woodland, another stunt involved you being dragged down 40 steep steps into a nuclear bunker... 

"It worried me slightly, but, in fact, it wasn’t too bad because there was a metal rail on the wall that I could hold onto, so I knew I wasn’t going to fall. I was also worried, as I can’t stand being in claustrophobic tunnels."

Do you suffer from claustrophobia, then?

"Yeah, I went down a tin mine once and that freaked me out. But this actually wasn’t so bad because the corridors were reasonably wide with a proper ceiling height. Plus everyone on Midsomer is so safety-conscious; they were all wearing lights on their heads so that they could make sure you were OK."

And, finally, as we saw in your ITV nature documentary on Shetland last year, you’ve loved bird watching since you were a child. Have you spotted any unusual species while filming at Langley Park today?

"Unfortunately I’ve left my binoculars back at our base camp! But it’s ideal here, I’ve heard so many green woodpeckers, you don’t see those very often. I see the greater spotted woodpecker all the time in my garden on my feeder. But green woodpeckers are difficult to spot because they feed on the ground and fly at such speed. They are lovely birds."

Midsomer Murders is set to return with a new caseload of killings in Britain’s unluckiest county.

The popular ITV murder mystery series has been renewed for six more episodes, with filming already under way on series 18.

It stars Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby and Gwilym Lee as DS Charlie Nelson, who investigate deaths around the quiet countryside of Midsomer.

For the new feature-length episodes, due to screen in 2016, the police duo will be joined by Ordinary Lies star Manjinder Virk, who will play new pathologist Dr Kam Karimore.

Gwilym Lee, Manjinder Virk and Neil Dudgeon star in Midsomer Murder (ITV)

New cases that the detectives will be tackling in the upcoming series will include bodysnatching, competitive cycling and the sighting of UFOs over Midsomer county.

From 1997 to 2011, the series’ lead character DCI Tom Barnaby was played by John Nettles, and Neil took over as the inspector’s younger cousin DCI John Barnaby when he left the programme.

ITV’s director of drama Steve November said: “Midsomer Murders is one of ITV’s most enduring and successful dramas. We’re delighted to be recommissioning a further six episodes and to be continuing our working partnership with Jo Wright (executive producer) and her team.”

Jo added: “We are back for even more episodes next year thanks to ITV, which gives us the chance to explore more strange and entertaining tales of Midsomer life – and with a new pathologist, who will cause DS Nelson trouble in more ways than one.”

Midsomer Murders has become the first TV programme to be inducted into the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame.

The accolade – previously awarded to top crime authors such as PD James, Lee Child, Colin Dexter and Agatha Christie – is made in recognition of Midsomer Murders’ contribution to the crime genre.

The long-running ITV crime drama was presented with this award at a star-studded ceremony, hosted by Bradley Walsh, at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London last Friday. Coverage of the awards ceremony can be seen tonight (Monday) on ITV3 at 9pm.

Taking to the stage to collect the honours were the stars of Midsomer Murders, Neil Dudgeon, Gwilym Lee and Fiona Dolman along with executive producer Jo Wright.

Jo Wright said: “We are thrilled to be recognised in such a prestigious awards ceremony which celebrates the very best of the crime genre. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside masters of intrigue, suspense and murder-mystery like Agatha Christie and PD James is a huge honour.”

Neil Dudgeon, who plays DCI John Barnaby, added: “For fans of crime-writing, like myself, it is fantastic to be in the company of such acclaimed thriller writers and novelists, as well as the stars of other crime dramas on film and TV. To receive this award and be inducted into the Hall of Fame is the icing on the cake.”

Earlier this year, Midsomer Murders celebrated its 100th  episode with a special film shot in Copenhagen and the UK. Four new episodes will be broadcast on ITV in 2015.

Neil Dudgeon has revealed he feels like an “old hand” on Midsomer Murders after four years with the perennially popular ITV crime drama.

“I’m on to my second sidekick already,” said Neil.

He has been playing DCI John Barnaby since 2010 and was recently joined by Gwilym Lee as DS Charlie Nelson.

Neil said: “I’ve now filmed 20 episodes so I'm starting to feel like an old hand. The arrival of DS Nelson brings a totally new dynamic to the partnership with Barnaby and the viewers seem to enjoy the chemistry.

"Gwilym is a great bonus to the series. We saw lots of marvellous people for his role, but when Gwilym came in, I thought, ‘He seems nice, I hope he’s as good as he looks’ and he was. He’s been fantastic in every way. He’s great to have on set around the cast and crew and is always enthusiastic.”

Midsomer Murders, which first aired in 1997 starring John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby (DCI John’s cousin), has also been successful abroad, which Neil puts down to the “whodunnit angle”.

“It’s a big, proper two-hour show that you can get immersed in - you have time to look at all the suspicious characters, red herrings and all,” he explained.

“The locations are a vital ingredient, too - the beautiful English countryside, vast stately homes, and sweet little cottages.

“It’s not a totally modern police procedural series. Midsomer is not so detailed about the intricacies of real police work and forensic detail, it has an ‘other worldly’ side to it which I think people find appealing.”

The 100th episode of Midsomer Murders, The Killings Of Copenhagen, is available on DVD from April 7 2014.

– Press Association

Makers of ITV's Midsomer Murders are heading to Copenhagen to film a special episode in the Danish capital.

Joining forces with Danish broadcaster DR, which produced hit Danish drama The Killing, programme makers will film in and around Copenhagen, as well as shooting some scenes back in the UK, to mark the 100th episode of the series.

DCI Barnaby, played by Neil Dudgeon, and his new sidekick DS Nelson (Gwilym Lee), travel to Denmark when a body is found there which links back to a family who live in Midsomer. Watch out, too, for some familiar faces, as among the Danish actors are stars from hit Danish shows The Killing and Borgen.

Midsomer Murders is huge in Denmark. Known there as Barnaby, it has been running for more than 12 years.

"The idea to shoot in Denmark came about because we wanted to do something special to mark the 100th episode," says Midsomer executive producer, Jo Wright. "It's great to be working with DR, producer of award-winning series The Killing."

Fans will also see a return to the location of the first ever murder in Midsomer, the iconic Badger's Drift.

Midsomer Murders' boss Brian True-May has been suspended after claiming that ethnic minorities are not English enough for the drama. The producer described the long-running drama as 'the last bastion of Englishness' and defended the all-white portrayal of rural life in Britain's murder capital, saying: "Maybe I'm not politically correct." He told Radio Times that the ITV1 series - which has run for 14 series - 'wouldn't work' if there was any racial diversity in the village life. The series returns this week with a new star, Neil Dudgeon, who has joined the cast as DCI John Barnaby, replacing actor John Nettles (pictured, as DCI Tom Barnaby) as the central character. Brian, the programme's co-creator who has been with it since it started in 1997, said: "We just don't have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn't be the English village with them. It just wouldn't work. "Suddenly we might be in Slough. Ironically, Causton (one of the main centres of population in the show) is supposed to be Slough. And if you went into Slough you wouldn't see a white face there. "We're the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way," he added. Asked why "Englishness" could not include other races who are well-represented in modern society, he said: "Well, it should do, and maybe I'm not politically correct. "I'm trying to make something that appeals to a certain audience, which seems to succeed. And I don't want to change it." An ITV spokesman said: "We are shocked and appalled at these personal comments by Brian True-May, which are absolutely not shared by anyone at ITV." The full interview is in the new edition of Radio Times, on sale on Tuesday.

TV Times talks to Midsomer Murders star Jason Hughes about the retirement of his boss, DCI Barnaby What is your reaction to the news that John Nettles has decided to leave? "We have such a great relationship, that naturally I don't want to see him go. John is a wonderful guy, kind and generous, and good fun to be around. It won't be the same without him." Did you know it was going to happen? "John talked to me about it beforehand and my initial feeling was, of course, one of disappointment. But I know he wants to do so many other projects and I'm happy for him." What has it been like filming 76 hours of television alongside John? "Brilliant. A bad word hasn't passed between us in all that time. I haven't seen the script for the last scene yet, but I have heard a whisper that the production company is organising a big leaving party for John." What about your own future? “I am very happy. It's such a well-loved show and I am still enjoying playing Ben. The trick with him is that he is almost, but not quite, as good a policeman as Barnaby." Are you also looking forward to Neil Dudgeon taking over? “Yes! Neil is a terrific actor and it's good we have worked together already on Midsomer. I get on well with him and it will be an interesting process to see how the series changes." *Jason Hughes stars in Midsomer Murders on Wednesday at 8pm on ITV1*