Midsomer Murders has graced our TV screens for almost three decades, and so it's hardly surprising that various sidekicks have come and gone over the years, serving alongside lead detectives DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and his successor, DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).
Gwilym Lee starred on the show from seasons 16 to 18 of the show as DS Charlie Nelson, taking over as DCI John Barnaby's right-hand man after Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) was promoted to Inspector and transferred to Brighton. But why did the actor leave the show and where is he now? Keep reading to find out all we know…
Why did Gwilym Lee leave Midsomer Murders?
In April 2016, it was announced that Nick Hendrix would be joining the cast as DCI Barnaby's new sidekick, DS Jamie Winter.
© Nogier/EPA/ShutterstockWhile Gwilym never publicly spoke about the reason for his exit, a source told MailOnline that the actor had left the show to pursue other acting opportunities.
DS Nelson made his final appearance in episode six of season 18. In the opening episode of season 19, it was revealed that Nelson had moved away from Midsomer to embark on an undercover course.
© GettyThe detective was succeeded by DS Jamie Winter, played by Nick Hendrix, who has remained Barnaby's sidekick since season 19.
Where is Gwilym Lee now?
Since leaving Midsomer Murders, Gwilym has landed a number of major TV and film roles.
In 2018, he portrayed musician Brian May in Bohemian Rhapsody, a musical biopic about the life of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
© Banijay Rights/Robert Viglasky/BBCViewers may also recognise him for his roles in the period drama series Jamestown, the satirical historical series The Great, and the BBC's war drama, SAS: Rogue Heroes.
All to know about Midsomer Murders series 25
Fans will be pleased to know that production on the 25th series is well and truly underway.
Leading star Neil will be back as DCI John Barnaby, alongside Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter, Annette Badland as pathologist Dr. Fleur Perkins and Fiona Dolman as Barnaby's wife, Sarah.
© ITVIt's a milestone series for the show as the completion of series 25 will mark 144 episodes, which surpasses the number of instalments produced by detective classics such as Poirot, Vera and Columbo.
Giving fans an idea of what to expect from the new episodes, Neil said in a statement: "It's fantastic to be filming 'Midsomer' again.
"The scripts are all great, full of intrigue and mystery, so I'm very excited for you to see them," he continued. "Our writers, who seem so normal, have come up with yet more extraordinary ways for the residents of 'Midsomer' to despatch their neighbours, 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!"
