Have you ever wondered what John Nettles’ ten favourite episodes of Midsomer Murders are? Well, you need wonder no more as the actor, who played Inspector Tom Barnaby from 1997 until his last screen appearance in February 2011, has revealed his list of top ten investigations – all of which feature in a new DVD compilation.
Midsomer Murders’: Barnaby’s Top Ten begins at the beginning with the first-ever episode: The Killings at Badger’s Drift.
John also selects A Talent for Life as being “the most bizarre episode” he has ever starred in – the church in the lovely South Oxfordshire village of Brightwell Baldwin was used as a filming location during this mystery.
Another South Oxfordshire village - Lower Assendon – also features in John’s box set, courtesy of the A Worm in the Bud episode. But it is possible that John might have been a little distracted while filming scenes near the acclaimed Golden Ball gastro pub – the investigation features the actor’s “favourite leading lady” (you’ll have to buy the collection to find out whether this is Mrs Barnaby).
Blue Herrings makes the top ten on the grounds of it being John’s favourite story line – it is the episode in which Barnaby visits his convalescent aunt and ends up investigating some suspicious deaths at her nursing home.
Space is also found in the collection for Murder on St. Malley’s Day (“most dramatic episode”) and Death of a Hollow Man (“most intriguing crime”).
Of course, Midsomer Murders isn’t just about crime and murder – the inclusion of Dead Man’s Eleven (“funniest episode”) is a reminder of the series’ lighter side.
It must have been hard for John to pick out a favourite episode from his top ten but, showing a decisiveness sometimes lacking in Barnaby, he sticks his neck out and plumps for Strangler’s Wood. If you’ve forgotten what makes this episode so great you’ll just have to watch the box set!