Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon has been making headlines recently after reports that Vera actor Kenny Doughty is the favourite to replace him as the show's lead detective. But is there any truth to the rumours? We've done some digging and here's all we know…
Is Kenny Doughty replacing Neil Dudgeon on Midsomer Murders?
There's no reason to believe that Kenny is replacing Neil on the show. According to reports, the Vera star has been tipped as most likely to take on the role should Neil leave the drama. Other names that have been thrown in the hat are Death in Paradise actor Ralf Little and Doc Martin's Martin Clunes.
However, this doesn't mean that Neil is leaving the drama anytime soon.
What's more, Kenny, who played DS Aiden Healy from 2015 until his departure in 2023 in Vera, has had his hands full with other projects since leaving the ITV detective show.
The 49-year-old is set to star in Channel 5's new drama The Au Pair and has teamed up with Poirot star Sir David Suchet and Beyond Paradise actress Sally Bretton for the four-part series.
So, what's the show about?
The drama explores the "complexities of family, trust and hidden truths" when successful businesswoman Zoe (Bretton) hires an au pair to move into her family home.
Zoe seems to have it all. She has a successful husband Chris (Doughty), two adorable stepchildren, Amber and Noah, a lucrative tailoring business and a stunning countryside home in a picturesque English town. But her life isn't as perfect as it appears to be.
As issues in her marriage arise, the pressure piles on when her diabetic father, George (Suchet), moves in next door.
The synopsis continues: "Zoe reluctantly agrees to hire an Au Pair; in comes Sandrine (Makowski), a beguiling young French woman which triggers an unsettling shift in the household, as instincts and suspicions arise, hinting at hidden agendas and long-concealed truths."
What has Neil Dudgeon said about leaving Midsomer Murders?
Neil has no plans to step down from his role in the drama. In a recent interview, the actor said he's still "extremely grateful" to be part of the series after 14 years.
While he admitted it was "hard" taking over from John Nettles, who had led the series for 14 years until 2010, Neil is still just as passionate about keeping the show "fresh" compared to when he first started.
"It gets easier, but I try to keep it fresh," he told RadioTimes.com. "Even if I've gone through the script 50 times, I'll look at it again and have another thought. It's still extremely pleasant and I'm extremely grateful."
Plus, back in 2020, Neil confirmed that he had "no intention" of quitting his role and said he'd probably only leave the show when he retired from acting altogether.
"I think if I stopped doing Midsomer, I'd kind of stop doing things entirely," he told RadioTimes.com, adding: "It's like Dr Johnson said about London: when a man is tired of London he's tired of life. I think when an actor's tired of doing Midsomer he's tired of acting."