MIDSOMER MURDERS
NEW SUNDAY, 8PM, ITV DRAMA
Much-loved ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders may be celebrating its 25th birthday this year, but the show definitely isn't running out of inventive methods of death!
In a brand-new episode, The Scarecrow Murders (the fourth story in the ongoing 22nd series), the annual scarecrow festival in the picturesque village of Little Upton takes a terrifying turn when dead bodies are found staged like their creations.
As dynamic duo DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix) investigate, a journalist, Caitlin Dawson (played by Nick's wife, Pennyworth star Jessica Ellerby), takes a keen interest in the case which makes things tricky professionally for Winter because she's also his ex-girlfriend!
Here, in an exclusive interview, Nick, 37, chats to TV Times about scary scarecrows, the joys of working with his wife and the secret of the show's success...
What can you tell us about this new investigation?
It's about a scarecrow festival - a very Midsomer-y concept! But there's also a background narrative of gambling, and a vicar [played by Peak Practice star Simon Shepherd] who's won the lottery, so there's quite an interesting moral question about people in religious positions winning lots of money and what they then choose to do with it.
Was it eerie being around all the scarecrows on set?
They are a bit spooky, aren't they? They have been used a lot before in horror movies and darker things than Midsomer, but I think it works really well for us.
I'm quite surprised we haven't done something with scarecrows before, but I know everything is checked against the archive after so many episodes, it is a challenge to come up with things we haven't done already!
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TOO CLOSE for comfort
Cindy frets when wounded Junior plays games
CONFESSION time
Denise tells the Brannings that daughter Chelsea caused the crush at Peggy’s
Joel MURDERED!
But which of the villain's many haters is to blame?
Love HURTS
Sam's injured when he tries to reunite Nick and Leanne
Girl BOSS!
FELICITY WARD introduces us to the female version of David Brent.
ECHOES of the past
ELEN RHYS on swapping solving crimes in Spain for a murder mystery in her native Wales
True DETECTIVES
We celebrate the crime-crackers who will be unravelling mysteries over the coming months...
Double TROUBLE
MICHAEL MCINTYRE on how fresh twists and star power will make this the best series of The Wheel yet
Time to say GOODBYE...
As Emmerdale legend Zak Dingle passes away, actor LISA RILEY pays tribute to her beloved co-star, the late Steve Halliwell
Power & PASSION!
What to expect from a lavish reworking of Dame Jilly Cooper’s steamy saga, set in the cut-throat world of TV