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 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.
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."
