Midsomer Murders' Neil Dudgeon confirms future as Barnaby as he's asked 'is this the end?'
Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon has addressed rumours that he is leaving the ITV show after 14 years as he appeared on This Morning on Friday
TM: Neil Dudgeon says he isn't leaving Midsomer Murders
Neil Dudgeon, who fans adore as DCI John Barnaby on Midsomer Murders, appeared to clarify his future with the show amid swirling exit rumours.
During a sit-down on Friday's This Morning with hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary, Neil faced immediate questioning about series 23 possibly being his swan song.
Alison didn't hold back, asking directly: "I think the question on everybody's lips is, is this the end of DCI Barnaby?"
A perplexed Neil responded: "Why?" only to hear her say: "There have been rumours that this could be the end."
Amused, Neil retorted, "Somebody knows something I don't," before jesting, "Somebody is trying to get rid of me," reports the Mirror.
Don't miss: Midsomer Murders fans predict return of beloved character after exit
Don't miss: Ellis creator points out 'problem' everyone missed with Midsomer Murders
The conversation took a twist when Alison pointed out that a fan vote for their favourite episode saw Neil's character not making the cut, prompting her comment: "You lost out," which led her to probe further into his show status.
Neil lightheartedly quipped: "Does this mean I am getting the elbow? And this is how I find out."
However, he clarified: "As far as I know, I am still here. We are shooting again next year, and the last I heard, I am in it, but I haven't read the script yet, so I don't know."
When questioned on what has kept him engaged with the show for so long, the star attributed it to the joy of television production, saying: "If you're going to make TV shows, it is just great."
Accentuating the uniqueness of his current gig, Neil praised the remarkable guest stars and the inventive storylines provided by the writers and concluded with an example showcasing the show's quirky charm: "You're talking about the wonderful guests that we have in, the amazing stories that our writers come up with.
"I think things like, you know, you say drag queens and dominoes, and you don't think, 'Oh, maybe that is Line of Duty,' that is comedy, and we do the most interesting things.
"We film in all the most beautiful places, we have those wonderful guests. So why would I move on?"
"That's very true," Alison concurred, leading Neil to jest: "Unless somebody pushes me out."
The eagerly awaited finale, set to air on Sunday night, will feature lead detective Neil Dudgeon, Nick Hendrix, Fiona Dolman, and Annette Badland, with special appearances from Ace Bhatti, Suzanne Packer, Nigel Lindsay, and LJ Johnson.
This final episode signifies the conclusion of the 23rd series, while series 24 is already creating a buzz overseas, and series 25 has been confirmed.
The plot for the episode, titled 'Dressed to Kill' reads: "Residents of Elverton-Cum-Latterly engage in a dominoes competition that has been a tradition for decades, but when the event coincides with a drag queen fundraiser for a terminally ill teenager, the resulting culture clash is both monumental and fatal."
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.
