ITV Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon addresses exit rumours and says 'this is how I find out'

Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon has addressed exit rumours. The star, who plays , who plays DCI John Barnaby, was questioned about whispers of him hanging up his detective hat on ITV This Morning.

Neil took over the role of lead detective in Midsomer Murders from John Nettles in 2011. The 63-year-old has insisted he has no plans to leave the hit drama anytime soon.

He joked to host Alison Hammond: "Somebody knows something I don't, somebody is trying to get rid of me. I'm getting the elbow? And this is how I find out?"

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Alison mentioned she raised the question because a fan-favourite episode in a recent poll was one without Neil.

Neil reassured viewers: "As far as I know I'm still here. We're shooting next year and last I heard, I'm in it. I haven't read the scripts yet!"

On what draws him back to the show each season, Neil shared: "If you're going to do what I do, if you're going to make TV shows, it's just great. The wonderful guests, the amazing stories."

Reflecting on why Midsomer Murders continues to captivate audiences, Neil said: "The central thing about the show is something happens in a rural location and two policemen turn up to check it out and once you've got that basic formula, you can do anything with it.

"We've tackled drag queens and aliens. There are only four regular characters in it, so you've got mostly a new cast every time.

"So you think this is Midsomer but within that, it's a completely reinvented show every time we do it." Neil previously discussed his potential departure from the series, telling RadioTimes.com in 2020 that he was fully committed to staying on board.

The actor declared he had "no intention" of leaving the hit drama and pledged to remain until he retires from the acting profession. "I've got no intention of stopping doing it," Neil asserted. "I don't know what else I'd do!

"I'm in a very fortunate position. I think it's such a great show that, one always assumes - when you're an actor you always think, whatever job I'm doing, it's going to end next week and that'll be it, I won't work again."

Catch Midsomer Murders on ITV tonight (Sunday 10 November) at 8pm.