Fiona Dolman, known for her role as Sarah Barnaby on ITV's Midsomer Murders, appears on a repeated episode of Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh this Sunday. In the episode, originally from series four in 2022, she discusses the beloved murder mystery series and her working relationship with co-star Neil Dudgeon, who plays her on-screen husband DCI John Barnaby.
On-screen rapport and 'naughtiness'
Host Alan Titchmarsh, 77, noted the strong rapport between Dolman and Dudgeon. Dolman, 56, agreed, saying: "Yeah! We got on from, I think, day one really, he is a fantastically good actor, and he is great fun to work with." She added: "There is a real naughtiness, and we'll discuss how we are going to do something, and then he'll just throw something slightly different."
Dolman explained that their long tenure on the show allows them to fall naturally into the role of an old married couple. "You do slightly bicker, and I'll get a script through the post, and I'll read it, and I can, I laugh because I can see what he is going to do or how he is going to say something!"
A plea not to be killed off
Titchmarsh teased Dolman about the staggering 400 on-screen deaths that had occurred over the show's then 25-year run. He joked that if the script hints at marital trouble, she should be worried, likening it to a black spot in Treasure Island. He said: "Everyone else in Midsomer is gone, but I'm sure you won't be next!" To which Dolman hilariously pleaded: "Please don't kill me off!"
Pregnancy incorporated into storyline
Throughout her stint, Dolman's real-life pregnancy was written into the plot. Sarah and John Barnaby welcomed daughter Betty, with twin girls cast to play the child. Dolman previously spoke about shooting with the newborns, noting she saw a different side to Dudgeon. In 2015, she said: "We get a lot of time between takes to play with the girls and make silly baby noises. You can get giggles out of them now, and it's been fun seeing that side of Neil, it brings out the clown in him."
Dudgeon, however, found filming with the twins "challenging". He recalled that one infant disliked being strapped into the pushchair and "screaming her head off" during takes. Despite this, he praised the "spontaneous quality" of the young co-stars, telling Daily Mail's Weekend Magazine that they made scenes "more real."
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh airs Sundays at 10am on ITV.
