Midsomer Murders: Fascinating Facts
More Fascinating Facts
Published: Tuesday, 17 June 2008, 5:54PM
The Thames-side town of Wallingford in Oxfordshire doubles as Causton, DCI Barnaby’s home, although the police station itself is a set in an old RAF College in Bracknell.
Original sidekick Daniel Casey, left after playing Sergeant Troy for seven series. He was replaced by John Hopkins as DS Dan Scott, before Jason Hughes joined as Constable Ben Jones in 2005.
Daniel Casey makes a surprise return visit in Blood Wedding in the 11th series. In this episode we see Cully marry Simon. Will Barnaby get in time to the church to give her away?
St Mary’s Church, Denham Village is the church used for Cully’s wedding. The church was where producer Brian True-May married Maureen in real life. His two grand daughters play the bridesmaids at Cully’s wedding.
John Nettles’s favourite Buckinghamshire locations include Chenies, Denham Village, and The Lee (which was used for the pilot episode Badger’s Drift, and has been used many times since). His favourite church is at Bledlow, Buckinghamshire which he likes for its architecture and simplicity.
The wedding congregation to be seen in Blood Wedding is made up of 34 members of the national press, posing as wedding guests. They all turned up in their finery and will get their moment of fame on transmission this July.
Simon (Sam Hazeldine, son of the late actor James Hazeldine) proposed to Cully in the 10th series in the episode entitled Death in a Chocolate Box.
The ninth series marked a change of car for Barnaby. Previously seen at the wheel of a Rover, problems at the car company mean he now drives a Jaguar X-Type.
Each episode takes five weeks to film and can involve as many as 120 people on set.
Midsomer Murders is sold to 206 territories, including the United States.
The pilot episode The Killings at Badger’s Drift attracted a 13.5 million audience at its launch in 1997 – the highest rating single drama in that year. The series regularly attracts high audiences, even repeat episodes, constantly winning its slot and beating the opposition.
The original title for the series was Barnaby. Midsomer Murders was suggested by scriptwriter Anthony Horowitz.
The haunting theme tune is re-recorded for every episode using an unusual instrument called a theremin, invented in Russia in 1919 by physicist Leon Theremin. Composer Jim Parker creates original music for each film.
John Nettles once knocked on a door during filming and announced himself as Detective Sergeant Bergerac.
Joyce Nettles, the first wife of John, and former RSC Casting Director cast the earlier series of Midsomer Murders.
Barnaby’s creator, Caroline Graham, worked as a dancer and actress, served in the WRNS and managed a marriage bureau before turning to writing. She also penned several episodes of TV soap Crossroads.
Caroline Graham’s book, The Killings at Badger’s Drift, which inspired the series was voted one of the top 100 crime novels of all time by the Crime Writers’ Association. It was published in 1987.
The first screenplay was written by acclaimed novelist and TV writer Anthony Horowitz, whose credits include Foyle’s War and the best-selling Alex Rider books for children.