Midsomer Murders has been one of television’s best-loved police dramas for almost 30 years. Having begun in 1997, it’s become one of ITV’s most successful shows with almost 150 episodes. That amounts to an awful lot of murders being committed in one English county!
Over the years, there have been two detectives who have led the series: Tom Barnaby, followed by his cousin John Barnaby – both of whom have been ably supported by a host of supporting cast members.
We’ve put together a guide to all of Midsomer Murders’ main characters, including those who have since left the show, complete with information about where else you might have seen the actors.
Who currently stars in Midsomer Murders?
Neil Dudgeon as Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby
John Barnaby transferred to Midsomer’s Causton CID to replace his cousin, Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) who was retiring. John didn’t get on particularly well with DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) when he first arrived, but the pair later formed a great partnership. John lives locally with his wife Sarah (Fiona Dolman) and daughter Betty.
Long-time Midsomer Murders viewers may remember that Neil Dudgeon first appeared in the show as an entirely different character. Back in the fourth series’ opening episode Garden Of Death, he played the gardener Daniel Bolt.
Neil is also known for playing the lead role of Jim Riley opposite Caroline Quentin in the BBC comedy Life Of Riley between 2009 and 2011.
During an acting career which has spanned 40 years, Neil has made appearances in some of the UK’s best known TV shows, including Lovejoy (1991), Casualty (1991), The Bill (1991), A Touch Of Frost (1994), Inspector Morse (1995) and Silent Witness (2008).
Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby
Sarah Barnaby is the wife of John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), and the headmistress of a local secondary school. The couple live together in a country cottage with their dog Sykes - before the beloved pet sadly died - and later adopted a terrier pup named Paddy, after his previous owner was murdered. Sarah fell pregnant during the course of the 16th series, and gave birth to their first child, Betty.
In 2008, Fiona Dolman played Miss Pamela Andrews in 48 episodes of The Royal Today – the daytime spin-off series to The Royal.
She is also well known for playing Jackie Bradley, the wife of PC Mike Bradley, in the long-running ITV series Heartbeat between 1998 and 2001. Fiona has also appeared in Ultraviolet (1998), The Bill (1997, 2001, 2003 and 2009), Holby City (2003, 2007 and 2009), Coronation Street (2009), Waterloo Road (2010), The Syndicate (2013), Casualty (2016) and Unforgotten (2025).
Nick Hendrix as Detective Sergeant Jamie Winter
Jamie Winter is the latest sergeant to be paired with DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), replacing DS Charlie Nelson (Gwilym Lee) in series 19. Before moving to Midsomer, Jamie had worked in London, and had gone on a crime management course with Dr Kam Marimore (Manjinder Virk).
Before joining the cast of Midsomer Murders in 2016, Nick had made guest appearances in quite a few British dramas, including Inspector George Gently (2012), Call The Midwife (2013), Lightfields (2013), The White Queen (2013), Foyle’s War (2015) and The Crown (2016). He also appeared in the very first episode of Charlie Brooker’s anthology series Black Mirror back in 2011.
Annette Badland as Dr Fleur Perkins
Fleur Perkins is the chief forensic pathologist for the county of Midsomer. She has been married several times, and when she first joined the CID she was dating a vet. However, that relationship didn’t last and she's currently single. Fleur owns two motorcycles, which she calls Gladys and Brenda, and she drives a convertible. All in all, she's a bit of a legend!
Annette Badland’s major breakthrough came in the first three series of Bergerac in which she played Charlotte - the secretary at the Bureau des Étrangers - alongside fellow Midsomer Murders star John Nettles, between 1981 and 1984.
In more recent years, she achieved notoriety as wicked Aunt Babe Smith, matriarch of the Carter family in EastEnders – a role she played between 2014 and 2017. She also played Brawdie Henshall in all four series of hairdressing drama Cutting It (2002-2005), and let's not forget her star turn in all three series of Ted Lasso (2020-2023) as pup landlord Mae Green.
Annette has clocked up a huge number of guest appearances in many of the best-known shows on British television including Crossroads (1978), All Creatures Great And Small (1989), Casualty (various roles between 1990 and 2012), Poirot (2003), Coronation Street (2005), Doctor Who (2005), Not Going Out (2018), The Crown (2020), Silent Witness (2021) and Beyond Paradise (2023).
When does Midsomer Murders S24 air?
DCI Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) needs to be on high alert because Midsomer’s murder rate is about to spike, with two long-awaited new episodes - the first of which will air on ITV1 on Sunday 28 December. The second will air on Tuesday 30 December.
All episodes of Midsomer Murders are available to watch on ITVX. That should keep you occupied for at least a year!
Who previously starred in Midsomer Murders?
John Nettles as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby
The character of Tom Barnaby was originally created by English writer Caroline Graham for her Chief Inspector Barnaby series of novels, published between 1987 and 2004. Having previously worked for MI6, Tom became a DCI based in the town of Causton in south-east England, who travelled into the countryside to solve murders in a number of nearby villages in the county of Midsomer.
Barnaby married Joyce (Jane Wymark) back in 1973, and the couple are parents to their adult daughter Cully (Laura Howard), who was born in 1978. Tom had three Detective Sergeants during his time investigating murders in Midsomer – DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), DS Daniel Scott (John Hopkins) and DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes). When Tom retired, he was succeeded by his cousin John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).
John Nettles is in the unusual position of having played not one, but two of British television’s most famous detectives! Before he played Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders, he became a household name in BBC1’s Jersey-set thriller Bergerac, in which he played Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac between 1981 and 1991. John starred in all 87 episodes of the hugely popular show, and even made an encore appearance as Bergerac in a 1993 episode of Jasper Carrott’s sitcom The Detectives!
Earlier in his career, John played Ian McKenzie in A Family At War (1971-1972) and Paul in The Liver Birds (1972-1976). He also made guest appearances in Robin Of Sherwood (1984), Boon (1992) and Heartbeat (2001).
In more recent years, he has appeared in several episodes of Poldark (2016-2017) and as the narrator of Devon And Cornwall (2020-2021).
Jane Wymark as Joyce Barnaby
Joyce Barnaby was the long-suffering wife of Tom Barnaby (John Nettles), who is extremely patient with her workaholic husband. She initially wanted them to move out of their home in Causton, and into one of the Midsomer villages. However, she was subsequently put off by all the gruesome murders that seemed to happen there on a regular basis!
Aside from her role in Midsomer Murders, Jane Wymark is best known for playing Morwenna Chynoweth Whitworth in the original 1970s version of Poldark (1977). She has also made guest appearances in Maigret (1993), Lovejoy (1993), Pie In The Sky (1996), A Touch Of Frost (1997) and Dangerfield (1998).
Daniel Casey as Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy
DS Gavin Troy was Tom Barnaby’s first assistant. He was an ambitious officer who provided able support for his DCI. However, Gavin was also occasionally seen to be slightly backwards in some of his views, and was a particularly careless driver, being responsible for several near-fatal accidents!
After being promoted to the rank of Inspector, Gavin was transferred to Northumbria. He did later return to Midsomer to attend the wedding of Tom’s daughter Cully (Laura Howard).
Besides Midsomer Murders, Daniel Casey is probably most recognised for playing Anthony Cox in Our Friends In The North (1996), and firefighter Tony Barnes in Steel River Blues (2004).
He has also made guest appearances in Inspector George Gently (2010), Marchlands (2011), Casualty (2012 and 2014), Coronation Street (2016), EastEnders (2017) and Emmerdale (2018).
Barry Jackson as Dr George Bullard
George Bullard was the resident pathologist in Causton – a popular and professional doctor, who was respected throughout the community. He was a close friend of Tom Barnaby (John Nettles), and was married to Catherine, a physician at the Midsomer Market Medical Centre.
Barry Jackson, who sadly passed away in 2013 aged 75, enjoyed an incredible career, which took off in the Sixties with roles in Cathy Come Home (1966), The Bofors Gun (1968) and Alfred The Great (1969). He also made his first appearance in Doctor Who in 1965, later returning as a different character in a 1979 storyline.
Barry's prolific CV takes in many of British television’s most famous shows, including Z Cars (1962, 1967, 1971 and 1975), Dixon Of Dock Green (1967, 1969 and 1974), Softly Softly: Task Force (1969, 1972 and 1973), Doomwatch (1972), Crown Court (1973, 1976 and 1977), Poldark (1975-1976), The New Avengers (1976), The Onedin Line (1976 and 1978), Secret Army (1977), Blake’s 7 (1978), The Professionals (1978), Coronation Street (1978), All Creatures Great And Small (1980 and 1989), Minder (1984 and 1994), Lovejoy (1986), Bergerac (1990), The Bill (1991, 1996, 2001 and 2003), A Touch Of Frost (1994 and 2002), Heartbeat (1994, 2004 and 2006), Silent Witness (1997), Kavanagh QC (1998) and Holby City (2004).
Toby Jones as Dr Dan Peterson
Dan Peterson was a pathologist at the Causton CID, who temporarily covered for Dr George Bullard (Barry Jackson) when he was away for a while.
Toby Jones has enjoyed a hugely successful film career, as well as his work for the small screen. His cinema credits include Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Dad’s Army (2016), and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023). He was also the voice of Dobby the House Elf in Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010).
On television, he recently won huge praise for his role as sub-postmaster Alan Bates in Mr Bates Versus The Post Office (2024). His other credits include Lovejoy (1993), The Last Detective (2007), Doctor Who (2010), Agatha Christie’s Poirot (2010), Titanic (2012), Detectorists (2014-2017 and 2022), Sherlock (2017), and The Long Shadow (2023).
John Hopkins as Detective Sergeant Daniel Scott
Daniel Scott replaced DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), and proved to be a lot cockier than his predecessor. Initially, he was unhappy to be transferred from London to Midsomer, considering it to be ‘out in the sticks’. This caused some tension between him and his superior officer, Tom Barnaby (John Nettles). However, their frosty relationship thawed after a while, with the pair gaining a grudging respect for one another. Daniel left the department quite abruptly, and was replaced by DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes).
After leaving Midsomer Murders, John Hopkins went on to appear as Rex Randall for a run of episodes in soap opera Family Affairs (2005). He has also guest-starred in Wire In The Blood (2008), Hotel Babylon (2009), Merlin (2010), Dancing On The Edge (2013), Endeavour (2016), Poldark (2017-2018), Masters Of The Air (2024) and Paris Has Fallen (2024).
He often provides voices and motion capture performances for video game characters, including Erend in Horizon Zero Dawn.
Jason Hughes as Detective Sergeant Benjamin Jones
Ben Jones became Tom Barnaby’s third junior partner after DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) and DS Daniel Scott (John Hopkins). Unlike his two predecessors, Ben was initially a uniformed officer, before he was promoted from Detective Constable to Detective Sergeant. When Tom retired, Ben harboured hopes of taking over from him, and was disappointed when Tom’s cousin John (Neil Dudgeon) was appointed instead. However, Ben did later receive a promotion to Inspector, and he was transferred to Brighton.
Welsh-born Jason Hughes’s early roles were in London’s Burning (1994), The Bill (1995) and Peak Practice (1995), but he really came to prominence as lawyer Warren Jones in BBC2’s seminal drama This Life (1996-1997, with a reunion in 2007).
Since then, he has guest-starred in Waking The Dead (2003), Mine All Mine (2004), Death In Paradise (2017), Three Girls (2017), Marcella (2018) and The Pact (2021).
Kirsty Dillon as Detective Constable Gail Stephens
DC Gail Stephens was transferred to Midsomer from Binwell. During her stay, she came close to having an affair with Sergeant Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes), but she ultimately decided not to get romantically involved with a colleague.
Kirsty Dillon appeared in the 2004 BBC drama The Man That Broke Britain. She also has numerous other TV credits to her name, including Holby City (2000, 2010 and 2012), London’s Burning (2002), Casualty (2006 and 2014), Emmerdale (2015), Strike (2018), Man Like Mobeen (2019), MotherFatherSon (2019) and The Kindred (2021).
Tamzin Malleson as Dr Kate Wilding
Kate Wilding replaced Dr George Bullard (Barry Jackson) as the resident pathologist. Although she has never been married, she started a relationship with DS Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) while she was working in Midsomer. She later took up a professorship in Brighton, where she was reunited with Ben, who had already moved there.
Before Midsomer Murders, Tamzin Malleson was most recognisable for playing Alison Dangerfield in series three and four of BBC drama Dangerfield (1996-1997). She then went on to play Dr Kate Brady in Always And Everyone (2000-2001) and Penny Nevill in series two to four of Channel 4 comedy Teachers (2002-2004).
Between 2004 and 2006, she portrayed Polly Grey in Bodies. She has also guest-starred in A Touch Of Frost (1996), Kavanagh QC (1996), Agatha Christie’s Poirot (2001), Boy Meets Girl (2009), Unforgotten (2015) and Marcella (2018).
Gwilym Lee as Detective Sergeant Charlie Nelson
Detective Sergeant Charlie Nelson replaced Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) after he was promoted to Inspector. During his time at Midsomer, Charlie was a lodger in the house belonging to Dr Kate Wilding (Tamzin Malleson). He later started an undercover course and moved away.
Gwilym Lee’s most recent main role has been in the second series of SAS Rogue Heroes (2025) as Bill Stirling.
He previously starred as Grigor Dymov in The Great (2020-2023), and has guest-starred in Lewis (2009), Waterloo Road (2009), Ashes To Ashes (2009) and Jamestown (2017). In 2018, he portrayed Queen guitarist Brian May in Bohemian Rhapsody.
Manjinder Virk as Dr Kam Karimore
Dr Kam Karimore replaced Dr Kate Wilding (Tamzon Malleson) as Midsomer’s resident pathologist. She and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) started to develop romantic feelings for one another. However, their romance didn’t last, as Kam moved away to take a job in Montreal.
Manjinder Virk has played main roles in the dramas Monroe (2011), Hunted (2012), Ordinary Lies (2015) and Trigger Point (2022), as well as the comedy Bad Move (2017).
She has also made guest appearances in many other series, including Holby City (1999), The Bill (2004), Green Wing (2004), The Thick Of It (2012), Call The Midwife (2015) and Virdee (2025).
Who has guest starred on Midsomer Murders?
Midsomer Murders has hosted a huge number of fabulous guest stars across the past few decades, from Oscar winners to soap legends. Here are just a few…
Emily Mortimer, who starred as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins Returns (2018) and Mary Brown in Paddington In Peru (2024), featured in the pilot episode of Midsomer Murders, ‘The Killings at Badger’s Drift’.
The pilot episode also featured stage and screen legend Julian Glover, whose credits include Game Of Thrones (2011-2016) and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
The late Una Stubbs, perhaps best known for playing Mrs Hudson in the BBC’s Sherlock, starred in the first proper episode of Midsomer Murders in 1998, and again in ‘The Dagger Club’ in 2015.
Dame Imelda Staunton, whose illustrious career has included playing the Queen on The Crown (2022-2023) and Professor Umbridge in the Harry Potter films, featured in the 1999 episode ‘Dead Man’s Eleven’.
Tobias Menzies, who played Frank and Jonathan Randall on Outlander (2014-2018) and Prince Phillip on The Crown (2019-2020), guest starred on ‘Judgement Day’ in 2000.
Hollywood star Orlando Bloom also featured on Judgement Day — one year before he shot to fame as Legolas in The Lord Of The Rings.
In 2001, EastEnders and Gavin & Stacey star Larry Lamb played Melvyn Stockard on ‘Who Killed Cock Robin?’.
Hugh Bonneville, who starred in Downton Abbey and the Paddington films, featured in the 2002 episode ‘Ring Out Your Dead’.
The late Honor Blackman, best known as Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (1964), played Isobel Hewitt in the 2003 episode ‘A Talent for Life’.
You can catch Henry Cavill before he became the DC Extended Universe’s Superman in the 2003 episode ‘The Green Man’.
Also guest starring on ‘The Green Man’ is Harry Potter and Game Of Thrones star David Bradley.
Decorated Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave had a minor role as a talent scout in ‘Dead in the Water’ (2004).
Jim Carter, another Downton Abbey star, features in the 2004 episode ‘The Fisher King’.
Gavin & Stacey’s Ruth Jones played Rachel Rose on ‘Bad Tidings’ (2004).
Tom Ellis, star of Lucifer and Miranda, featured in the 2005 episode ‘Midsomer Rhapsody’.
Dame Harriet Walter has appeared on the show twice as two different characters, on ‘Orchis Fatalis’ in 2005 and on ‘Death and the Divas’ in 2013.
Legendary stage actress Dame Siân Phillips played Lady Annabel Butler on the 2006 episode ‘Vixen’s Run’.
Doctor Who and The Thick Of It star Peter Capaldi guest starred on the 2006 episode ‘Death in Chorus’.
Music icon Suzi Quatro played a rockstar on the 2007 episode ‘The Axeman Cometh’.
Oscar winner and national treasure Olivia Colman played Bernice on ‘Small Mercies’ (2009).
The Railway Children and Call The Midwife star Jenny Agutter played Isobel Chettham on ‘The Creeper’ in 2009.
The late comedian Rik Mayall, best known for Drop Dead Fred (1991), starred in ‘The Creeper’ in 2009.
Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbé, who played Bond villain General Koskov in The Living Daylights (1987), starred in the 2008 episode ‘Talking to the Dead’.
Michele Fairley, best known for playing Catelyn Stark on Game Of Thrones (2011-2013), guest starred on the 2010 episode ‘The Noble Art’.
Outlander hunk Sam Heughan starred in the 2007 episode ‘King’s Crystal’.
Tim McInnerny, who recently starred opposite Denzel Washington in Gladiator II (2024), played Hugh Dalgleish in the 2010 episode ‘The Sword of Guillaume’.
Edward Fox, best known for playing the cool assassin in The Day Of The Jackal (1973), starred in the 2011 episode ‘Dark Secrets’.
Fleabag’s Sian Clifford played PC Milton on the 2013 episode ‘Schooled in Murder’.
EastEnders and Coronation Street star Michelle Collins played Nadine Campbell on the 2013 episode ‘The Incident at Cooper Hill’.
Another EastEnders star, Martine McCutcheon, played Debbie Moffett on ‘Schooled in Murder’ in 2013. She is perhaps best known for her role opposite Hugh Grant in Love Actually (2003).
Coronation Street’s Les Dennis guest starred in the 2013 episode ‘The Christmas Haunting’.
Tom Spilsbury has been a writer for TV Choice and its sister publication Total TV Guide since 2021. His top TV picks of the last year or so include Mr Bates Versus The Post Office, Douglas Is Cancelled, Sherwood, The Outlaws and All Creatures Great And Small.