The ITV crime drama first premiered in 1997
Midsomer Murders has been a regular fixture on our screens for 27 years, introducing fans to a host of unforgettable characters like DCI Barnaby and his sidekick DS Gavin Troy. But, with a such a long and successful run on ITV, viewers have been forced to say goodbye to beloved cast members.
Wondering what they're up to now? From John Nettles to Jane Wymark and Jason Hughes, here's what Midsomer's alumni have been up to since leaving the village...
John Nettles
John Nettles was the village's original detective, Tom Barnaby. After leading the series for 14 years, however, the fan favourite waved goodbye in 2011.
Speaking to The Telegraph about his decision, John noted: "I never thought when we were filming the pilot 'The Killings at Badger's Drift' in 1996 that I would go on to film so many episodes. It has been a joy to be involved in such a long-running series with so many good actors and great storylines. It's the end of an era for me.
"I suddenly realised that I'm going to be the oldest detective in the business now that David Jason has thrown off the mantle. But it was a very difficult decision to make," he added.
"I'll have been doing Midsomer Murders for 14 years by the time Barnaby leaves. I've formed familial ties with the people involved in the show and they will be hard to break. It's always wise to leave people wanting more, rather than be booed off the stage because you bored them."
Following his departure from the show, John has starred in and . He's also lent his voice to docuseries and , serving as a narrator.
Away from the cameras, John will celebrate his 30th wedding anniversary with his wife, Cathryn Sealey, next year. He's also a proud dad to his daughter, Emma Nettles.
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Jane Wymark
Jane Wymark appeared as DCI Barnaby's wife, Joyce, before exiting the show in 2011.
At the time, fans speculated that Jane had been asked to leave the drama to coincide with John Nettle's storyline, the actress said she was ready for a different role.
"I'm relieved that I don't have to be the nicest person in the world anymore!" she told Birmingham Mail. "That's a heavy burden to carry. I want to be completely evil now, a really bad person with no redeeming features and a terribly good cook!"
Jane noted: "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. I am fond of Joyce but she is very limiting. Now I get to do different things."
Free to explore new avenues, Jane has since appeared in the miniseries , and the National Theatre's 2014 production of .
Laura Howard
Like her TV parents, Laura Howard left in 2011. Cast as Tom and Joyce's daughter Cully Barnaby, the actress bowed out of the programme in season 13 when her character tied the knot with Simon Dixon and left the village to pursue an acting career in London.
"Cully's not the wildest character, but it's been lovely playing her," Laura told the in 2012. Asked about the reasons behind her exit, she replied: "I was 19 when we filmed the first episode and 30 when we shot the wedding last summer."
A regular fixture on our screens, following you may have spotted her in , and . According to, her most recent role was as DCI Smith in a 2023 episode of .
Daniel Casey
Daniel Casey is famed for playing Tom Barnaby's original sidekick DS Gavin Troy in the first seven seasons of . "I was just aware I didn't want to stay with the same thing for too long and I wanted to branch out," the actor revealed to .
Following his departure, Daniel briefly returned as Gavin in season 11 for the wedding of Tom's daughter Cully. Since leaving the village, Daniel has landed roles in , , and most notably , in which he portrayed Tom Bailey.
Jason Hughes
Joining the show as Sergeant Ben Jones in season nine, Jason Hughes left in season 15. After returning for a guest appearance in season 19, DS Benjamin Jones was officially gone for good.
In the years that followed, Jason has starred in , , and .
Gwilym Lee
In 2013, Gwilym Lee made his debut as DCI Barnaby's new sergeant, DS Charlie Nelson, a role that he would play for the next three years.
After waving goodbye to the ITV series, Gwilym has continued to thrive, appearing as Samuel Castell in , Grigory "Grigor" Dymov in , and Brian May in the Freddie Mercury biopic, .
Toby Jones
Toby Jones enjoyed a short stint in , appearing as Dan Peterson in four episodes of the hit show between 1999 and 2000.
Revered as one of Britain's finest actors, Toby has since appeared in major film franchises including and .
Among his endless TV credits, the 57-year-old has featured in , and , to name a few.
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