Neil Dudgeon addresses Midsomer Murders exit rumours: 'Somebody is trying to get rid of me!'

Neil Dudgeon has reassured fans that he has no plans to leave Midsomer Murders. 

During an appearance on ITV's This Morning on Friday, host Alison Hammond quizzed Neil, 63, about his future on the show amid rumours about his departure. 

© ITV

"Somebody knows something I don't, somebody is trying to get rid of me," Neil said, jokingly adding: "I'm getting the elbow? And this is how I find out?"

Alison added that the reason she asked was because fans voted for their favourite episode and chose one that Neil wasn't in.

© Mark Bourdillon

Confirming that he's remaining as the show's lead, DCI John Barnaby, Neil said: "As far as I know I'm still here. We're shooting next year and last I heard, I'm in it. I haven't read the scripts yet!"

When asked what keeps him coming back each series, Neil said: "If you're going to do what I do, if you're going to make TV shows, it's just great. The wonderful guests, the amazing stories."

He also pondered on the secret to the show's success, saying: "The central thing about the show is something happens in a rural location and two policemen turn up to check it out and once you've got that basic formula, you can do anything with it.

© Mark Bourdillon

"So we've done drag queens and aliens. There are only four regular characters in it, so you've got mostly a new cast every time," he continued.

"So you think this is Midsomer but within that, it's a completely reinvented show every time we do it," Neil added. 

This isn't the first time Neil has addressed his future on the show. Speaking to RadioTimes.com back in 2020, the actor said he had "no intention" of departing the drama and would only step down as the lead when he retires from acting. 

© Mark Bourdillon

"I've got no intention of stopping doing it," he said. "I don't know what else I'd do!

"I'm in a very fortunate position. I think it's such a great show that, one always assumes - when you're an actor you always think, whatever job I'm doing, it's going to end next week and that'll be it, I won't work again."

Midsomer Murders airs on Sunday 10 November at 8pm on ITV.