Midsomer Murders: Neil Dudgeon comments on acting standards

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Midsomer Murders has been airing on ITV and this season marks Neil Dudgeon’s 10th year in the role. His character, John Barnaby, has seen all sorts of bizarre cases across his extensive police career. Dudgeon has reflected on his time on the show and he revealed his favourite murders.

What was Neil Dudgeon’s favourite murder?

Series 22 of the long-running detective drama is currently airing on ITV and four new stories will be told.

Episode two, called With Baited Breath, is due to air tonight (March 28) and involves a Psycho Mud Run.

Nicola Stephenson stars as Izzy Silvermane, the landlady of a pub who has a turbulent family history.

The series is known for its unusual killings and actor Dudgeon revealed some of his favourites.

Having been in the series for more than a decade, he remembers plenty of standout moments.

He said: “Some of the deaths have been marvellous, Murray Melvin falling to his death having seen a headless horseman is something that doesn’t happen around our house every day.

“Martine McCutcheon killed by cheese of course, the guy who was covered in truffle oil and then eaten alive by a wild boar was very inventive.

“The marvellous episode I love was all about the UFOs and then we actually showed one crashing in the woods, I thought we had lost the plot but the writing was so brilliant and it all made sense and Alison Steadman was in that episode.”

Speaking about his most memorable moments, he said: “It’s the people; the crew, the cast, the murderers and some of the more lavish, thoughtful deaths are the highlights that stand out to me.

“The biggest highlight is that the show has gone on for 10 years with me in it! It’s a curious little landmark moment.”

The debut episode, titled The Sting of Death, featured guest star Imogen Stubbs and it saw John Barnaby take on yoga.

The episode followed the Deddington family, who were the eighth generation of honey producers at Apley Court.

They also owned a honey-themed wellness centre and yoga studio, and fans never thought they would see the detective on a yoga mat.

Like Dudgeon, fans have come up with their own lists of the top Midsomer Murders deaths.

For many, it was the moment Martine McCutcheon’s character Debbie Moffett was killed by a giant cheese wheel.

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Fans have taken to Twitter to share their admiration for the series, with one saying: “I have reached the ‘watch Midsomer Murders episodes’ stage of not wanting to deal with the world.

“I don’t WANT to be intrepid adventurer, I want to hide in my bed until May. And watch ppl get inventively murdered for incredibly petty reasons. Death by cheese wheel a high point!” [Sic]

Season 22 includes four episodes, with the final two episodes titled The Wolf Hunter of Little Worthy and The Stitcher Society.

Episode three looks at whether an urban myth has evolved into a terrifying reality.

Meanwhile, the final episode follows a post-operative heart rehab club and one member in particular causes upheaval.

Dudgeon said one of his favourite things about the series was the fact it was so bizarre.

He has solved close to 150 deaths in his time, many of which are beyond our imagination.

Speaking to Radio Times he said: “I’ve always thought our deaths are sort of fantastical.

“They aren’t the sort of ways that people are generally fretting about dying. But I’ve heard it quite a lot – people have binged.”

Midsomer Murders airs on Sunday evenings on ITV.

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