John Nettles and Jane Wymark developed a close bond on the set of Midsomer Murders. The actors, who had co-starred in All Men Are Mortal (1995), were cast as husband and wife, Tom and Joyce Barnaby, two years later.
© David Graves/REX/ShutterstockWhen their time on the show came to an end in 2011, John and Jane bowed out together, and have always spoken highly of one another. "Well, you can't be virtually married for 14 years without becoming good friends,' Jane told Mail Online.
"Or, to put it another way, if we hadn't become such good friends, I would have found it very difficult to have remained in the programme all this time."
© RexDuring their time on set, John and Jane realised that they had a lot in common. "John has helped me hone my crossword skills. He's a demon. We're also both great lovers of the theatre, spending our time quoting Shakespeare at each other," she revealed.
"But then, he's a highly intelligent man with a degree in philosophy, a very good person with whom to have a conversation."
When John decided to leave Midsomer, he made a point of consulting Jane. "John and I have been talking about him leaving for a long time, it hasn't come out of nowhere. And I agree, enough is enough," she explained to Birmingham Mail. "I am fond of Joyce but she is very limiting. Now I get to do different things."
John and Jane's last day on set was particularly emotional. "On the very last day of the shoot, at the final wrap, Brian [producer Brian True-May] bought champagne to the set and gave Jane a bouquet of flowers and presented us with a specially-made clapperboard showing Midsomer Murders' last slate. There were quite a few tears!" John recalled.
"I'll miss the wonderful atmosphere on set and all the team, especially John and Laura Howard, who played my daughter Cully. She's become like a real daughter to me and takes me shopping," Jane said of their departure.
© ShutterstockFollowing their respective exits, John has gone on to write several books and now works as a historian. Having maintained a sweet bond with Jane, the pair teamed up again on the 2015 radio special: John Nettles presents Devon's World War II.
© GettyJohn has since retired from acting, and resides in the village of Holsworthy alongside his wife, Cathryn Sealey. As for Jane, the 71-year-old has since appeared in the miniseries Jo (2013), and the National Theatre's 2014 production of Medea. Jane, who is married to Patrick Howson, is also a proud mum to her two sons.
