FANS of Midsomer Murders have been left concerned one of its main stars could be on their way out, and now they’ve revealed their future.
Actor Neil Dudgeon has been absent from screens and the ITV drama for a year, with his character DCI John Barnaby taking a brief hiatus.
Neil Dudgeon has confirmed he’s returning to filming on Midsomer Murders[/caption]
Neil Dudgeon has been absent from his role as DCI John Barnaby but is set to return[/caption]
Now the Midsomer Murders star has given an update as he responds to the rumours that he might have left the long running crime drama.
Speaking to Radio Times he’s revealed he has no plans to leave the soap as he explained: “I’m very happy in the countryside there. It’s very nice.
“I assume that at some point I’ll get the hook – [it] will come and sort of drag me off into the wings and they won’t want me anymore.
“But they haven’t done it yet, so I’m going to keep going to work until I get the hook.”
Dudgeon, who took over the role from actor John Nettles in 2011, has also confirmed he’s returning to filming so fans will see him back on screen soon.
The 25th season, consisting of four new episodes, is set to start filming next month.
Dudgeon added: “I don’t know when it’s next being broadcast, but we start filming again at the end of March for season 25, so it goes on.
“We’ve had a year off… but we are filming again this year. We’re filming four new stories from March.”
Last year fans were left frustrated after the 24th series aired around the globe but ITV behind by two series.
Frustrated fans took to social media to vent their anger at not being able to catch up as one said: “It’s a UK show made for a UK audience (and on UK television for many years) but the station airing don’t care less about UK fans.
“Two years or more we’ve waited for this episode while every other country has seen it.”
A second fumed: “It’s ridiculous, there are 5 more episodes not screened yet in the UK of Midsomer Murders and ITV are showing another bloody repeat tonight @ITV @ITVX sort it out.”
“@ITVX why are you showing episodes of #midsomermurders in the USA before they are shown in the U.K.?”
The ITV favourite series has been on air since its pilot episode in 1997, with many famous faces joining at the start of their careers.
Celebrity cameos include Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Bonneville, Henry Cavill and Holly Willoughby.
Midsomer Murders airs on ITV and streams on ITVX.
