Despite having no immediate plans to exit the show, Neil exclusively revealed to Reach PLC his thoughts on his future in the series and how long he envisions himself playing DCI Barnaby.<\/p>\n
When quizzed about whether he’d like to continue in the role for “as long as possible,” Neil confessed, “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.”<\/p>\n
Reflecting on when he was first approached for the role, Neil recalled: “When they first came to me, I was asked, ‘How do you feel if John leaves Midsomer Murders<\/a>?’ and I said, ‘It would be fantastic, and I’d love to’.<\/p>\n “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’,” reports the Express<\/a>.<\/p>\n Neil continued: “By series one, I thought I’d shoot one episode, and they’d say, ‘he’s terrible, we are not doing anymore’. After having John Nettles for 13 years, and then I come along, and it’s cancelled, that would be pretty embarrassing.<\/p>\n “But then, 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.”<\/p>\n He went on: “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.<\/p>\n “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?'”<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n Just last month, fans were delighted with two fresh instalments of Midsomer Murders, and while they’ll have to hold tight for further new episodes, the leading man has disclosed when audiences can expect the rest of series 24.<\/p>\n “The two episodes that are going out are the first two episodes I think of series 24, so there’ll be another two episodes from that series to go out at some point,” he revealed.<\/p>\n “Very soon hopefully, and then the next series, series 25, is what we shot earlier this year.”<\/p>\n Midsomer Murders is available to watch on ITVX<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Neil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_Neil-also-shared-an-update-on-series-24.jpg\")
Neil also shared an update on series 24(Image: ITV)<\/p>\n![\"Neil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_Neil-Dudgeon-and-Nick-Hendrix.jpg\")
Neil Dudgeon and Nick Hendrix(Image: ITV)<\/p>\n