Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon reveals show's future

Neil Dudgeon in a suit in Midsomer Murders

(Image credit: Mark Bourdillon / ITV / Bentley Productions)

Midsomer Murders has started filming its 25th season it's been revealed by star Neil Dudgeon in a hugely exciting update for fans.

Neil, who plays DCI John Barnaby, promises there will be more "great" stories for fans to enjoy.

"It's fantastic to be filming Midsomer again," he said in a statement to Variety. "The scripts are all great, full of intrigue and mystery, so I'm very excited for you to see them.

"Our writers, who seem normal, have come up with yet more extraordinary ways for the residents of Midsomer to despatch their neighbors, which is fun and slightly worrying; I work with these people! And, of course, the cast and crew are all back together, and it's great to see everyone and hear all the news and gossip. It's just like living in a village in Midsomer! I hope you all love them when they are finished."

Another baffling case for the team. — All the key cast return (Image credit: ITV)

Joining Neil is Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter, Annette Badland as pathologist Dr. Fleur Perkins and Fiona Dolman as John's wife Sarah. Once Midsomer Murders season 25 airs the show will have run for 144 episodes, which means it will have enjoyed more episodes than classic shows like Poirot and Vera. The first episode, "The Killings at Badger's Drift", went out in 1997.

Talking once about why the show remains so popular, Neil said: "It's a big, proper two-hour show that you can get immersed in — you have time to look at all the suspicious characters, red herrings and all."

Neil mentioned Midsomer's love of strange deaths and John Nettles, the show's original leading man as Tom Barnaby, recently revealed his favorite was in a 2005 episode called "Orchis Fatalis". Talking to The Times, Nettles laughingly recalled loving the scene in the episode where one poor victim is murdered by a pitchfork being thrust viciously through a deckchair.

We don't yet know when the new series of Midsomer Murders will arrive on ITV in the UK and Acorn TV in the US. Check out our best ITV dramas guide for more shows to enjoy.