It’s run for more than a quarter of a century – but who are all of the show’s main characters, both past and present?
Midsomer Murders has been one of television’s best-loved police dramas for almost 30 years. Having begun in 1997, it’s become one of ITV’s most successful shows, having produced almost 150 episodes. That amounts to an awful lot of murders being committed in one English county! Over the years, there have been two detectives who have lead the series – Tom Barnaby, followed by his cousin John Barnaby – who have been ably supported by a host of supporting cast.
We’ve put together a guide to all of Midsomer Murders’ main characters, including those who have since left the show, complete with information about where else you might have seen the actors…
Neil Dudgeon plays Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby
Duration: Series 13 (guest role), 14 to present
Who is DCI John Barnaby?
John Barnaby transferred to Midsomer’s Causton CID to replace his cousin, Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) who was retiring. John didn’t get on particularly well with DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) when he first arrived, but the pair later formed a great partnership. John lives locally with his wife Sarah (Fiona Dolman) and daughter Betty.
What else has Neil Dudgeon been in?
Long-time Midsomer Murders viewers may remember that Neil first appeared in the show as an entirely different character. Back in the fourth series’ opening episode Garden Of Death, he played the gardener Daniel Bolt. Neil is also known for playing the lead role of Jim Riley opposite Caroline Quentin in the BBC comedy Life Of Riley between 2009 and 2011. During an acting career which has spanned 40 years, Neil has made appearances in some of the UK’s best known TV shows, including Lovejoy (1991), Casualty (1991), The Bill (1991), A Touch Of Frost (1994), Inspector Morse (1995) and Silent Witness (2008).
Fiona Dolman plays Sarah Barnaby
Duration: Series 14 to present
Who is Sarah Barnaby?
Sarah is the wife of John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), and is the headmistress of a local secondary school, and the couple live together in a country cottage – with their dog Sykes, until their beloved bet sadly died. The couple later adopted a terrier pup named Paddy, after his previous owner was murdered. Sarah fell pregnant during the course of the 16th series, and gave birth to their first child, Betty.
What else has Fiona Dolman been in?
In 2008, Fiona played Miss Pamela Andrews in 48 episodes of The Royal Today – the daytime spin-off series to The Royal. She was also well known for playing Jackie Bradley, the wife of PC Mike Bradley, in the long-running ITV series Heartbeat between 1998 and 2001. She has also appeared in Ultraviolet (1998), The Bill (1997, 2001, 2003 and 2009), Holby City (2003, 2007 and 2009), Coronation Street (2009), Waterloo Road (2010), The Syndicate (2013) and Casualty (2016).
Nick Hendrix plays Detective Sergeant Jamie Winter
Duration: Series 19 to present
Who is Jamie Winter?
Jamie is the latest sergeant to be paired with DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), replacing DS Charlie Nelson (Gwilym Lee). Before moving to Midsomer, Jamie had worked in London, and had gone on a crime management course with Dr Kam Marimore (Manjinder Virk).
What else has Nick Hendrix been in?
Before joining the cast of Midsomer Murders in 2016, Nick had made guest appearances in quite a few British dramas, including Inspector George Gently (2012), Call The Midwife (2013), Lightfields (2013), The White Queen (2013), Foyle’s War (2015) and The Crown (2016). He also appeared in the very first episode of Charlie Brooker’s anthology series Black Mirror back in 2011.
Annette Badland plays Dr Fleur Perkins
Duration: Series 20 to present
Who is Fleur Perkins?
Fleur is the chief forensic pathologist for the county of Midsomer. She has been married several times, and when she first joined the CID she was dating a vet. However, that relationship didn’t last and she is currently single. Fleur owns two motorcycles, which she calls Gladys and Brenda, and she drives a convertible.
What else has Annette Badland been in?
Annette’s major breakthrough came in the first three series of Bergerac, where she played Charlotte, the secretary at the Bureau des Étrangers, alongside John Nettles as DS Jim Bergerac, between 1981 and 1984. In more recent years, she achieved notoriety as wicked Aunt Babe Smith, matriarch of the Carter family in EastEnders – a role she played between 2014 and 2017. She also played Brawdie Henshall in all four series of hairdressing drama Cutting It (2002-2005). Annette has clocked up a huge number of guest appearances in many of the best-known shows on British television, including Crossroads (1978), All Creatures Great And Small (1989), Casualty (various roles between 1990 and 2012), Poirot (2003), Coronation Street (2005), Doctor Who (2005), Not Going Out (2018), The Crown (2020), Silent Witness (2021) and Beyond Paradise (2023).
So, that’s all of Midsomer Murders’ current main cast of characters, but what about the many familiar faces who are no longer appearing in the show? And might we see any of them again in the future? Let’s meet all of the previous cast members…
John Nettles played Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby
Duration: Series 1-13
Who is Tom Barnaby?
The character of Tom Barnaby was originally created by English writer Caroline Graham for her Chief Inspector Barnaby series of novels, published between 1987 and 2004. Having previously worked for MI6, Tom became a DCI based in the town of Causton in south-east England, who travelled into the countryside to solve murders in a number of nearby villages in the county of Midsomer. Barnaby married Joyce (Jane Wymark) back in 1973, and the couple are parents to their adult daughter Cully (Laura Howard), who was born in 1978. Tom had three Detective Sergeants during his time investigating murders in Midsomer – DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), DS Daniel Scott (John Hopkins) and DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes). When Tom retired, he was succeeded by his cousin John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).
What else has John Nettles been in?
John Nettles is in the unusual position of having played not one, but two of British television’s most famous detectives! Before he played Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders, he became a household name in BBC1’s Jersey-set thriller Bergerac, in which he played Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac between 1981 and 1991. John starred in all 87 episodes of the hugely popular show, and even made an encore appearance as Bergerac in a 1993 episode of Jasper Carrott’s sitcom The Detectives! Earlier in his career, John played Ian McKenzie in A Family At War (1971-1972) and Paul in The Liver Birds (1972-1976). He also made guest appearances in Robin Of Sherwood (1984), Boon (1992) and Heartbeat (2001). In more recent times, he has appeared in several episodes of Poldark (2016-2017) as well as being the narrator of Devon And Cornwall (2020-2021).
Jane Wymark played Joyce Barnaby
Duration: Series 1-13
Who is Joyce Barnaby?
Joyce is the long-suffering wife of Tom Barnaby (John Nettles), who is extremely patient with her workaholic husband. She initially wanted them to move out of their home in Causton, and into one of the Midsomer villages. However, she was subsequently put off by all the gruesome murders that seemed to happen there on a regular basis!
What else has Jane Wymark been in?
Aside from her role in Midsomer Murders, Jane is best known for playing Morwenna Chynoweth Whitworth in the 1970s BBC period drama Poldark (1977). She has also made guest appearances in Maigret (1993), Lovejoy (1993), Pie In The Sky (1996), A Touch Of Frost (1997) and Dangerfield (1998).
Daniel Casey played Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy
Duration: Series 1-7 (main cast), Series 11 (guest appearance)
Who is Gavin Troy?
DS Gavin Troy was Tom Barnaby’s first assistant. He was an ambitious officer who provided able support for his DCI. However, Gavin was also occasionally seen to be slightly unreconstructed in some of his views, and was a particularly careless driver, being responsible for several near-fatal accidents! After being promoted to the rank of Inspector, Gavin was transferred to Northumbria. He did later return to Midsomer briefly to attend the wedding of Tom’s daughter Cully (Laura Howard).
What else has Daniel Casey been in?
Besides Midsomer Murders, Daniel is most recognised for playing Anthony Cox in Our Friends In The North (1996), and firefighter Tony Barnes in Steel River Blues (2004). He has made guest appearances in Inspector George Gently (2010), Marchlands (2011), Casualty (2012 and 2014), Coronation Street (2016), EastEnders (2017) and Emmerdale (2018).
Barry Jackson played Dr George Bullard
Duration: Series 1-2, 4-14
Who is George Bullard?
George was the resident pathologist in Causton – a popular and professional doctor, who was respected throughout the community. He was a close friend of Tom Barnaby (John Nettles), and was married to Catherine, a physician at the Midsomer Market Medical Centre.
What else has Barry Jackson been in?
Barry, who died in 2013 aged 75, enjoyed an incredible career, which took off in the Sixties with roles in Cathy Come Home (1966), The Bofors Gun (1968) and Alfred The Great (1969). He also made his first appearance in Doctor Who in 1965, later returning as a completely different character in a 1979 storyline. His CV takes in many of British television’s most famous shows, including Z Cars (1962, 1967, 1971 and 1975), Dixon Of Dock Green (1967, 1969 and 1974), Softly Softly: Task Force (1969, 1972 and 1973), Doomwatch (1972), Crown Court (1973, 1976 and 1977), Poldark (1975-1976), The New Avengers (1976), The Onedin Line (1976 and 1978), Secret Army (1977), Blake’s 7 (1978), The Professionals (1978), Coronation Street (1978), All Creatures Great And Small (1980 and 1989), Minder (1984 and 1994), Lovejoy (1986), Bergerac (1990), The Bill (1991, 1996, 2001 and 2003), A Touch Of Frost (1994 and 2002), Heartbeat (1994, 2004 and 2006), Silent Witness (1997), Kavanagh QC (1998) and Holby City (2004).
Toby Jones played Dr Dan Peterson
Duration: Series 2 (recurring) and 3 (main)
Who is Dan Peterson?
Dan was a pathologist at the Causton CID, who temporarily covered for Dr George Bullard (Barry Jackson) when he was away for a while.
What else has Toby Jones been in?
Toby has enjoyed a hugely successful film career, as well as his work for the small screen. His cinema credits include Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Dad’s Army (2016), and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny (2023). He was also the voice of Dobby the House Elf in Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010). On television, he recently won huge praise for his role as sub-postmaster Alan Bates in Mr Bates Versus The Post Office (2024). His other credits include Lovejoy (1993), The Last Detective (2007), Doctor Who (2010), Agatha Christie’s Poirot (2010), Titanic (2012), Detectorists (2014-2017 and 2022), Sherlock (2017), and The Long Shadow (2023).
John Hopkins played Detective Sergeant Daniel Scott
Duration: Series 7-8
Who is Daniel Scott?
Daniel replaced DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), and proved to be a lot cockier than his predecessor. Initially, he was unhappy to be transferred from London to Midsomer, considering it to be ‘out in the sticks’. This caused some tension between him and his superior officer, Tom Barnaby (John Nettles). However, their frosty relationship thawed after a while, with the pair gaining a grudging respect for one another. Daniel left the department quite abruptly, and was replaced by DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes).
What else has John Hopkins been in?
After leaving Midsomer Murders, John went on to appear as Rex Randall for a run of episodes in soap opera Family Affairs (2005). He has also guest-starred in Wire In The Blood (2008), Hotel Babylon (2009), Merlin (2010), Dancing On The Edge (2013), Endeavour (2016), and Poldark (2017-2018).
Jason Hughes played Detective Sergeant Benjamin Jones
Duration: Series 9-15 (main role), Series 19 (guest appearance)
Who is Benjamin Jones?
Welsh-born Ben became Tom Barnaby’s third junior partner after DS Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) and DS Daniel Scott (John Hopkins). Unlike his two predecessors, Ben was initially seen as a uniformed officer, before he was promoted from Detective Constable to Detective Sergeant. When Tom retired, Ben harboured hopes of taking over from him, and was disappointed when Tom’s cousin John (Neil Dudgeon) was appointed instead. However, Ben did later receive a promotion to Inspector, and he was transferred to Brighton.
What else has Jason Hughes been in?
Welsh-born Jason’s early roles were in London’s Burning (1994), The Bill (1995) and Peak Practice (1995), but he really came to prominence as lawyer Warren Jones in BBC2’s seminal drama This Life (1996-1997, with a reunion in 2007). Since then, he has guest-starred in Waking The Dead (2003), Mine All Mine (2004), Death In Paradise (2017), Three Girls (2017), Marcella (2018) and The Pact (2021).
Kirsty Dillon played Detective Constable Gail Stephens
Duration: Series 10-13
Who is Gail Stephens?
DC Gail Stephens was transferred to Midsomer from Binwell. During her stay, she came close to having an affair with Sergeant Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes), but she ultimately decided not to get romantically involved with a colleague.
What else has Kirsty Dillon been in?
Kirsty appeared in the 2004 BBC drama The Man That Broke Britain. She also has numerous other TV credits to her name, including Holby City (2000, 2010 and 2012), London’s Burning (2002), Casualty (2006 and 2014), Emmerdale (2015), Strike (2018), Man Like Mobeen (2019), MotherFatherSon (2019) and The Kindred (2021).
Tamzin Malleson played Dr Kate Wilding
Duration: Series 14-17
Who is Kate Wilding?
Kate replaced Dr George Bullard (Barry Jackson) as the resident pathologist. Although she has never been married, she started a relationship with DS Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) while she was working in Midsomer. She later took up a professorship in Brighton, where she was reunited with Ben, who had already moved there.
What else has Tamzin Malleson been in?
Before Midsomer Murders, Tamzin was most recognisable for playing Alison Dangerfield in series three and four of BBC drama Dangerfield (1996-1997). She then went on to play Penny Nevill in series two to four of Channel 4 comedy Teachers (2002-2004). Between 2004 and 2006, she portrayed Polly Grey in Bodies. She has also guest-starred in A Touch Of Frost (1996), Kavanagh QC (1996), Agatha Christie’s Poirot (2001), Boy Meets Girl (2009), Unforgotten (2015) and Marcella (2018).
Gwilym Lee played Detective Sergeant Charlie Nelson
Duration: Series 16-18
Who is Charlie Nelson?
Detective Sergeant Charlie Nelson replaced Benjamin Jones (Jason Hughes) after he was promoted to Inspector. During his time at Midsomer, Charlie was a lodger in the house belonging to Dr Kate Wilding (Tamzin Malleson). He later started an undercover course and moved away.
What else has Gwilym Lee been in?
Gwilym’s most recent main role has been in comedy drama The Great (2020-2023), where he played Grigory ‘Grigor’ Dymov. He has also guest-starred in Lewis (2009), Waterloo Road (2009), Ashes To Ashes (2009) and Jamestown (2017).
Manjinder Virk played Dr Kam Karimore
Duration: Series 18-19
Who is Kam Karimore?
Dr Kam Karimore replaced Dr Kate Wilding (Tamzon Malleson) as Midsomer’s resident pathologist. She and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) started to develop romantic feelings for one another. However, their romance didn’t last, as Kam moved away to take a job in Montreal.
What else has Manjinder Virk been in?
Manjinder has played main roles in the dramas Monroe (2011), Hunted (2012), and Trigger Point (2022), as well as the comedy Bad Move (2017). She has also made guest appearances in many other series, including Holby City (1999), The Bill (2004), Green Wing (2004), The Thick Of It (2012) and Call The Midwife (2015).