Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Neil Dudgeon was on Midsomer Murders before landing lead role - details 

Did you spot Neil Dudgeon in the early days of the murder mystery? 


neil dudgeon midsomer
Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
July 9, 2020
Share this:

Viewers have been loving Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby on Midsomer Murders ever since he took over the role as the lead detective in Britain's most murderous village back in 2011. However, did you know that the star had already appeared in the popular show? Find out about his real first appearance in the series here...

READ: Did you spot this Hollywood A-lister on Midsomer Murders?

Before Neil took over, John Nettles played DCI Tom Barnaby for the first 14 seasons. During that time, Neil appeared in season four's episode Garden of Death, where he played the smaller part of Daniel Bolt, a gardener. 

neil midsomer

Neil appeared in season four as a gardener

The episode followed the wealthy Inkpen family, who planned to turn a memorial garden into a tea shop when a member of the family, Felicity, is found killed in the memorial garden, with her mother being poisoned a few days later.

This isn't the first time an actor has appeared in a show as a guest star only to eventually become a lead, as Death in Paradise's Ralf Little also previously played a smaller part in a one-off episode before arriving on the island as Neville Parker for season nine.

READ: Ralf Little reveals whether his 2013 appearance in Death in Paradise helped him win role 

When asked whether he had stayed in touch with the creators, who offered him the role, Ralf previously told HELLO!: "I wish it had been like that! Everyone says, 'Ooo it's a good networking event.' Nothing has ever come my way through networking, as an actor or anything else. People who do, I don't know how they do it. 

garden death

Do you remember him from the episode?

"I think I get on with everybody – so I tell you what certainly can be said with some confidence is that if I had been unprofessional or difficult or had the wrong attitude or whatever, and been difficult to work with on set, that certainly would have precluded me from coming back to do it."

Sign up to Off Camera for all the gossip and goings-on from the wonderful world of TV and film

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More TV and Film

See more