EXCLUSIVE: Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon has opened up about his fears when taking over from John Nettles in 2011
08:42, 28 Dec 2025
Midsomer Murders favourite Neil Dudgeon has shared his thoughts on portraying DCI John Barnaby, a role he has inhabited since 2011, after succeeding John Nettles, who previously played his on-screen cousin, Tom Barnaby.
Neil returns to screens on Monday evening as Detective Barnaby, alongside Nick Hendrix as his partner Detective Sergeant Jamie Winter, and Annette Badland in the role of Dr Fleur Perkins.
Speaking exclusively to Reach PLC ahead of the new series, Neil discussed his future with the popular ITV drama, revealing he approaches his tenure cautiously and prefers to consider it “a year at a time” rather than taking anything for granted.
When questioned about whether he’d like to continue playing Barnaby for as long as possible, Neil responded, “I think so, I mean I wouldn’t want to do it to the point where it’s embarrassing, and he’s just too old. I just take it a year at a time.”
Reflecting on how he came to take on the part, Neil recalled: “When they first came to me, I was asked, ‘How do you feel if John leaves Midsomer Murders?’ and I said, ‘It would be fantastic, and I’d love to’,” reports the Express.
Neil Dudgeon as Detective Barnaby(Image: ITV)
He continued: “I started off thinking, ‘I’ll do the first episode and see how it is, ‘ and then they might think, ‘Oh, we made a terrible mistake, or he’s awful’.
“By series one, I thought I’d shoot one episode, and they’d say, ‘he’s terrible, we are not doing anymore’. After having John Nettles for 13 years, and then I come along, and it’s cancelled, that would be pretty embarrassing.
“But then, at the end of the first series, they recommissioned it, and I thought it was great because that sort of vindicates that people had faith in me to give me the job in the first place.”
He continued, “So that was great to have the first recommission and do a second series. When I first started, somebody said to me, ‘I think everybody would be happy if you did another three years or so,’ and 15 years later, I am still doing it.
“So, I think everyone is pleased that it is still going, but I always take it a year at a time, and at the end of every series, I think, ‘Are there going to be more?’
Neil Dudgeon addressed his future as Barnaby(Image: ITV)
“Sooner or later, somebody is going to say there can’t be any more stories in Midsomer, but we keep coming up with them, and people seem to like it.”
Fans of Midsomer Murders are in for a treat as Series 24 finally airs with two brand-new episodes on Monday and Tuesday.
The first episode of Midsomer Murders, titled The Devil’s Work, which airs on Monday night, has an intriguing synopsis: “The death of an ancient estate’s patriarch leads to rivalry and murder when his rebellious son plans to sell it off, outraging his siblings.”
The second episode, titled, The Book of the Dead, airing on Tuesday, teases viewers with: “When the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, Barnaby and Winter must unravel the cryptic clues to find the killer among a group of dedicated seekers.”
Midsomer Murders will air on Monday at 8.30pm on ITV.
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