Star of Midsomer Murders, Neil Dudgeon, has candidly discussed the daunting prospect of the beloved series being cancelled when he first stepped into the iconic detective's shoes, replacing John Nettles back in 2011.
Taking Over From a Legend
In an exclusive interview with Reach PLC ahead of the new series, Dudgeon reflected on the immense pressure he felt succeeding Nettles, who played DCI Tom Barnaby for 13 years. Dudgeon now portrays the lead character's cousin, DCI John Barnaby.
He revealed his cautious approach, stating he prefers to take his tenure "a year at a time" rather than assuming the role is his indefinitely. When asked if he wanted to continue as long as possible, Dudgeon 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."
The Fear of an Embarrassing Axe
Dudgeon recounted the early days of his casting, admitting he fully expected the show to falter after his debut. "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'," he told the Express.
His initial plan was modest: "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'." The actor vividly recalled his anxiety, thinking, "After having John Nettles for 13 years, and then I come along, and it's cancelled, that would be pretty embarrassing."
Fifteen Years and Still Going Strong
Thankfully for fans, those fears were unfounded. The show was recommissioned after his first series, which Dudgeon saw as a vital vindication. "That was great to have the first recommission and do a second series," he said.
He recalled someone initially suggesting a further three-year run would satisfy everyone. "And 15 years later, I am still doing it," Dudgeon noted with evident pleasure. "So, I think everyone is pleased that it is still going." However, he maintains his year-by-year philosophy, wondering at the end of each series if more stories will be commissioned.
"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," he added.
What's Next for Barnaby and Winter?
Fans can look forward to Dudgeon returning to screens alongside Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter and Annette Badland as Dr Fleur Perkins. Series 24 launches with two brand-new episodes.
The first, "The Devil's Work," airs on Monday at 8.30pm on ITV. Its synopsis reads: "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."
This is followed on Tuesday by "The Book of the Dead," where "the author of a book that sparked a nationwide treasure hunt is found dead, forcing Barnaby and Winter to unravel cryptic clues to find the killer among a group of dedicated seekers."
