Neil Dudgeon, the actor who portrays DCI John Barnaby on the long-running ITV drama Midsomer Murders, has revealed that he harbored significant anxiety about being 'cancelled' after his debut series, following the departure of his predecessor John Nettles.
Dudgeon took over the role of the lead detective from John Nettles at the start of the show's 14th series, a transition he described as 'hard' in a previous interview with Radio Times magazine. He admitted that he feared the show might end his tenure prematurely. 'If they'd cancelled me after one series, that would have been embarrassing!' Dudgeon said. He added that he strives to keep his performance fresh, even reviewing scripts up to 50 times before filming.
Transition Challenges and Gratitude
Dudgeon acknowledged the difficulty of stepping into a role that Nettles had inhabited for 14 years. 'It was hard at the beginning because John [Nettles] had done it for 14 years,' he said. Despite the initial pressure, Dudgeon expressed gratitude for the opportunity: 'It's still extremely pleasant and I'm extremely grateful.'
Over time, Dudgeon has become a firm favorite among fans of the series. He noted that the role has become easier as he settled in, but he remains vigilant about maintaining quality. 'Even if I've gone through the script 50 times, I'll look at it again and have another thought,' he explained.
Future Plans and Longevity
This is not the first time Dudgeon has addressed his future on the show. In a previous exclusive interview with Reach PLC, he discussed his tenure and whether he would like to continue for as long as possible. '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,' he said.
When first approached about the role, Dudgeon recalled being asked how he would feel if John left Midsomer Murders. He responded, 'It would be fantastic, and I'd love to.' He admitted that he initially approached the part with caution: '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.''
Recommission and Continued Success
Dudgeon expressed his delight when ITV recommissioned the series after his first season, which is filmed in Oxfordshire. '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 said.
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?''
Dudgeon remains philosophical about the show's longevity, acknowledging that eventually the stories may run out. '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 said.
Midsomer Murders is available to watch on ITVX.
