MIDSOMER MURDERS
“The Dark Rider”
NEIL DUDGEON AND JASON HUGHES
RETURN IN A BRAND NEW EPISODE
OF THE TOP-RATING DRAMA
A BENTLEY PRODUCTION
TX: PRIMETIME WINTER 2012 on ITV1
Introduction ................................................................................................. Page 1
The Dark Rider
Synopsis ..................................................................................................... Page 3
Characters .................................................................................................. Page 4
Interviews with the Cast
Neil Dudgeon plays DCI John Barnaby .......................................................
Jason Hughes plays DS Ben Jones ............................................................
Fiona Dolman plays Sarah Barnaby ............................................................
Tamzin Malleson plays Dr Kate Wilding ......................................................
Sykes the dog .............................................................................................
Page 5
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 11
Guest Stars
James Callis plays Toby DeQuetteville and Julian DeQuetteville ................
William Gaunt plays Sir Ludo DeQuetteville ................................................
Kerry Fox plays Betty DeQuetteville ............................................................
Raquel Cassidy plays Diana DeQuetteville .................................................
Natalie Mendoza plays Sasha Fleetwood ....................................................
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Production Biographies ............................................................................... Page 17
Cast List and Production Credits ................................................................. Page 18
For further information contact: Shelagh Pymm – 020 8892 1292 / 07831 665023
For pictures please contact: Emily.page@itv.com
For DVD preview copies contact: Ready to Air at ITV
Find MIDSOMER MURDERS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OfficialMidsomer
MIDSOMER MURDERS
Britain’s best-loved detective series returns to ITV1 as Barnaby and Jones tackle a
series of ghostly deaths at a gothic stately home in a brand new MIDSOMER
MURDERS film from Bentley Productions.
In The Dark Rider, the appearance of a headless horseman pointing victims to their
doom brings terror to the doors of the aristocratic DeQuetteville family – but not enough
to stop them from staging a money-making Civil War battle re-enactment.
Yet another battle is raging with their neighbours, who are determined to stop the
skirmishes from taking place at Quitewell Hall, leading to chaos and mayhem in the
picturesque countryside.
But what are the DeQuettevilles hiding – and what is the true identity of the ghostly
rider?
Neil Dudgeon stars as DCI John Barnaby with Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones in the
two-hour drama to be screened on ITV1 in winter 2012.
Fiona Dolman returns as Barnaby’s wife Sarah, who strives to bring some historical
authenticity to the re-enactment, with Tamzin Malleson as no-nonsense pathologist Dr
Kate Wilding.
Guest stars in the new film include Eleanor Bron, James Callis, Raquel Cassidy,
Kerry Fox, William Gaunt, Natalie Mendoza and Paul Ritter.
The new episode is produced for the first time by Jo Wright, former drama chief at the
BBC, LWT and Talkback Thames, whose many credits include Lovejoy, 55 Degrees
North, Doctor Who, Othello, Coup! and The Sculptress.
Says Jo: “I was hugely flattered when I was offered the role of producer on MIDSOMER
MURDERS and I’m very excited to be working with Neil Dudgeon and Jason Hughes.
The series is extraordinarily popular, and my goal is to keep what is absolutely great
about it, while bringing a fresh eye to the show and introducing some new themes and
ideas.
“MIDSOMER MURDERS has done so well for 14 years and as soon as you mention it to
people the reaction is amazing. I have worked on various dramas over the years but
you don’t get that Midsomer reaction. I am very proud to be a part of it.”
One of Jo’s plans is to develop the partnership between Barnaby and Jones.
“I really like their relationship, there is definitely a bit of a bromance going on. They’re a
bit Holmes and Watson, and there is a great chemistry between then, both on and off
set. Neil and Jason are both such great dramatic and comic actors and their timing is
exquisite. So I hope to explore that a bit more and in episode two, we see that Jones
does indeed have a personal life!”
-2Fans of MIDSOMER MURDERS may notice some other subtle changes with Jo at the
helm.
“I am bringing some new writers and directors into the established team, like Alex Pillai
whom I worked with on Silent Witness and who has been doing Merlin recently. He’s a
huge fan of the show, and was keen to be involved in the first film of the new series.
“I’m also bringing in themes to some of the episodes, like this one, which is all about war
in relationships. In a later episode we have a story where we discover a famous actress
from the horror films of the sixties lives in a Midsomer village.”
The Dark Rider was filmed partly at Knebworth House, including a Civil War reenactment made with the help of historical event organisers The Sealed Knot.
Explains Jo: “We have about 200 members of the Sealed Knot as extras. They are
volunteers but came and camped beforehand and threw themselves into it
wholeheartedly. We had four cameras filming at Knebworth with cannons and muskets
firing. It was very exciting.”
Some of Jo’s other ideas can be seen behind the scenes.
“I have set up a Facebook page which has nearly 80,000 fans already. I want to give
people more access to the show, with lots of pictures, exclusive interviews and
information. We’re also having a ‘Sykes Cam’, where a camera is put in Sykes the dog’s
collar showing a day in his life.
“It’s all about making it more fun and trying to bring it up-to-date. The reaction around
the world has been amazing in such a short time and it’s great to have a way to unite all
these MIDSOMER MURDERS fans.”
MIDSOMER MURDERS attracts top viewing figures on ITV1 and is one of the UK’s best
programming exports with sales to 230 territories, from Afghanistan to Zambia.
The Dark Rider is written by Michael Aitkens, directed by Alex Pillai and produced by Jo
Wright. It is made by Bentley Productions, part of the All3Media Group, for ITV1.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-3The Dark Rider – Synopsis
The appearance of a headless horseman at Quitewell Hall foreshadows a number
of deaths among the aristocratic family. In the midst of a Civil War re-enactment
the family are fighting their own battles over land with their neighbours. But what
is the truth about the DeQuettevilles – and the ghostly rider?
Bentham DeQuetteville falls to his death from the roof of Quitewell Hall after seeing a
headless horseman, but his aristocratic family seem more concerned about their forthcoming
Civil War re-enactment than the tragedy. Betty, estate manager and second wife of Toby
DeQuetteville, wants to find ways to gain income for the ancestral seat, not helped much by
the eccentric head of the family Sir Ludo and his wife Lady Izzy.
Barnaby finds a priest hole containing a 17th century portrait of headless Cavalier officer
Geoffrey DeQuetteville on a grey horse. Toby’s identical twin Julian tells detectives about a
family legend - if the ghost of Geoffrey points at you it means you will die. Toby’s son Simon
blames the ghost for his mother’s death in a riding accident years earlier. He has been
struck dumb ever since.
The DeQuetteville’s wealthy neighbours, Roundhead descendant Harry Fleetwood and his
wife Sasha are being driven mad by the Civil War battles, especially as the DeQuettevilles
corrupt history by changing the battle’s outcome in favour of the Cavaliers.
When Julian refuses to sell Long Meadow to Sasha, she persuades him to put it up as a
wager instead. If the Roundheads win the battle, they’ll get the land. Then she pays
glamorous stable owner Amanda Harding to hire her horses only to the Fleetwoods.
Julian takes his horse and carriage out but is lured down a country lane by the headless
horseman. Later his dead body is found in his carriage – it’s murder. His widow Diana
admits her husband was no angel and had plenty of enemies.
A terrified Ludo spots the headless horseman outside Quitewell Hall pointing at him and is
terrified he will be next. Diana flirts with Harry, hinting he could get his hands on the whole
estate by marrying her. And Jones discovers Betty once worked for a branch of the
DeQuetteville family in Norfolk – where a cousin also died in a riding accident.
Sarah Barnaby is the commentator at the Civil War battle but gets angry when the reenactment veers wildly away from history. In the midst of the chaos, Ludo is lured outside
the hall and killed by a falling gargoyle. The Fleetwoods give up their claim to the land.
Toby sees the rider next, and is locked in the house and guarded by the police. Jones
discovers Amanda once had a grey horse. He dashes to Badgers Mill to track it down and
finds Barnaby in pursuit of a motorbike. A gun is fired and the police arrive to find the
motorcyclist gone and a plastic headless torso, shot at – but empty.
Barnaby and Jones discover the identity of the Headless Horseman and rush to Quitewell
Hall in search of the murderer and some answers. Who is killing off the DeQuettevilles – and
where is Simon?
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-4Characters
Lady Isobel DeQuetteville – Eleanor Bron
Izzy DeQuetteville is in her 70s – charming and mischievous, with a tendency to say
exactly what she’s thinking, whether it’s appropriate or not.
Sir Ludo DeQuetteville – William Gaunt
Sir Ludovic (Ludo) is head of the family and enjoys the traditions of his position. But he’s
an irascible, fearful old goat.
Betty DeQuetteville – Kerry Fox
Betty is the former estate manager who married Toby after his first wife died. She’s from
New Zealand and seen as lower in class to the rest of the family. There’s no love lost
between her and sister-in-law Diana.
Toby DeQuetteville – James Callis
The younger identical twin, Toby is nice but dim. He is also very vulnerable and tragic
and has leant on Betty since his first wife died in a riding accident.
Julian DeQuetteville – James Callis
Julian is the older twin by just 10 minutes, making him the heir to Quitewell Hall. He’s
arrogant and difficult and is married to Diana.
Diana DeQuetteville – Raquel Cassidy
Diana is long-suffering in her marriage to Julian, but she has pragmatic morals and an
acid streak. She can be patronising to Betty, whom she sees as beneath her class.
Simon DeQuetteville – James Clay
Simon is 22 and the son of Toby and his first wife Angela. Since the death of his mother,
he’s been tragically struck dumb through shock.
Harry Fleetwood – Paul Ritter
A financier who studies old battles while keeping an eye on stock markets and world
trades. He’s very sensitive about the re-enactments next door.
Sasha Fleetwood – Natalie Mendoza
Sasha is an attractive woman who stands by her man and shouldn’t be crossed. She is
keen to get her hands on some of the DeQuetteville estate.
Amanda Harding – Louisa Clein
Gorgeous Amanda is in her 30s and runs a livery stables. She shares a past with Sasha.
Bentham DeQuetteville – Murray Melvin
In his 70s, Bentham is the reclusive and cranky brother of Ludo.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-5Interviews with the Cast
Neil Dudgeon plays DCI John Barnaby
Neil Dudgeon is delighted with viewers’ response to his role as DCI John Barnaby in
MIDSOMER MURDERS.
“The feedback to my character has all been very positive and it’s great that people have
taken to the new Barnaby so well. There is a great strength in the series and it’s not so
much about me, but appreciating and understanding how to keep the audience happy.
“I am excited to have been entrusted with this great job and I hope people will continue
to enjoy it under my stewardship. Hopefully it will go on for a long time yet as there is all
that beautiful English countryside to explore and tackle crime in!”
He adds: “I think the show occupies an area that doesn’t exist anywhere else in
television, but, like any good series, MIDSOMER MURDERS can’t stand still. In my
personal opinion, it’s good to move with the times and make subtle changes, even if
Midsomer is in a time of its own. That time bubble, together with the wonderful
locations, eccentric characters, pretty villages and a couple of murders along the way,
with appearances from some great actors from stage or soaps, really makes the drama
what it is.”
Although Neil’s character is a cousin of the DCI Barnaby played by John Nettles, they
are very different detectives.
“John Barnaby has a degree in psychology and his approach to his work comes from his
interest in criminals and why they do what they do. He plays his cards close to his chest
and adapts his persona to get results, even if it means he has to look weak or silly. He
is also quite direct and has a likeable black sense of humour, which helps him get
through the darker moments. I would describe him as bluff and ironic.
“John has worked in Brighton so he’s more metropolitan in outlook and has seen a bit of
modern, urban policing. Moving to the countryside is an eye-opener for him, but in a
good way because he’s interested in people. Murderous, eccentric people are
populating the rural villages and committing bizarre murders with great historical stories
to them. I think he’s like the town mouse moving to the country.”
The arrival of John and his wife Sarah (played by Fiona Dolman) also brings a slightly
younger feel to the series.
“There is more sexual chemistry flying around as John and his beautiful wife have a
vibrant relationship. She has an important job as a head teacher and their relationship is
one of equals. We also have our hilarious and charming dog Sykes.
“The community of Midsomer may have been a little guarded and cool towards them at
first, but once they were accepted, they were sucked deeply in quite quickly. I feel that
Barnaby is now well embedded in Midsomer life. The villagers have taken me, the wife
and the dog to their hearts, so we are now a fixture!”
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-6-
Neil Dudgeon plays DCI John Barnaby (cont)
Neil has particular enjoyed working with Barnaby’s sidekick, Detective Sergeant Ben
Jones, played by Jason Hughes.
“Jason and I knew each other slightly before we started, so that was a great help. I think
he is brilliant in the part; he has a lot of charm and we have a nice time working together.
“My Barnaby is closer in age to Jones, which brings a new dynamic. Their similarity in
age heightens the differences between them and their approach to crime. Jones is more
methodical and by the book, while Barnaby is more instinctive and mercurial. And I
hope that the friendship we have off-screen shows on-screen to some extent in the
bantering, playful relationship that has developed between them.”
Neil has long been a fan of the whodunit genre.
“I enjoy reading crime novels, I like Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes and I recently
read The Suspicions of Mr Whicher. I also try and see what other people are doing in
the crime area on television and I like watching series like The Wire and NYPD Blue.
Crime stories are very fertile in any medium – you have the whodunit quiz element,
alongside all the relationship storylines.”
He adds: “I think the whodunit angle is one of the main reasons for the success of
MIDSOMER MURDERS. It’s a proper two-hour show that you can get immersed in
because there is time to look at all the suspicious characters, red herrings and all.
“The locations are vital, seeing all the beautiful English countryside, vast stately homes
and sweet little cottages. Episodes have characters ranging from poachers to lords and
ladies, and the humour is always trickling under the surface.
“It’s also nice that each episode has a slightly independent feel, a different director and
different writer, and a cast of 15-20 people on each one who bring new life to the film.
Some episodes are very dark and macabre, while others can be relatively light and
quirky. I like the variety and the change that each film brings.”
Neil stars as Jim Riley in Life of Riley and his other roles include The Mrs Bradley
Mysteries, The Gift, The Nativity, Common as Muck, The Street, Messiah, Roman’s
Empire, Out of the Blue, Resnick, Sorted and the award-winning feature film Son of
Rambow. His theatre credits include Road and Blasted at the Royal Court, and Closer
at the National.
When he’s not working, Neil enjoys spending time with his family and indulging his
hobbies.
“My passion now is the arts and I like going to galleries and exhibitions. I still enjoy
football; I have a season ticket at Fulham and get there when I can. I also go to the gym
when I get a bit of a late start on set, but then I undo all the good work when I arrive and
have a bacon butty!”
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-7Jason Hughes plays DS Ben Jones
Jason Hughes can see Barnaby and Jones becoming a new Sherlock Holmes and Dr
Watson.
“Since the arrival of Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby, the role of Jones has definitely
changed. He’s the bridge from the old to the new and that was fortunate for me because
it gave me more to work on.
“I think the main reason why the relationship works is that there is a healthy tension
between the two characters. That gentle chiding gives us an extra dynamic. Ultimately,
though, there is a mutual respect between them. They both approach their jobs in
different ways which benefits the investigation. They are coming closer to the Holmes
and Watson set-up whereas before it was a young Jones being nurtured and taught by
an older, senior officer.
“With the new Barnaby, their relationship is more equal. Jones is not tied at the waist to
someone else; he can go off and work independently then come back and show the
boss what he’s found out.”
Jones took a bit of time adjusting to his new boss.
Explains Jason: “Jones thought it would be difficult for the new Barnaby but he is the
one who’s struggled. He is used to the old way of doing things; the procedural technique
based on his old boss.
“The new Barnaby has come with a fresh, new approach, an excellent track record in
solving cases – and a psychology degree. Jones doesn’t like to admit it but he gets
quite intimidated at first. Jones is rigid in his approach to work, whereas the new
Barnaby is much more flexible and progressive. But now he is learning to work with his
boss in a productive way.
“It’s a nice dichotomy and I’ve loved it as an actor, because it’s given me a new set of
emotional tasks. You see a bit more of Jones and find out what makes him tick,” adds
Jason.
As well as the character development, Jason has also enjoyed working closely with Neil.
“It has been an absolute joy because Neil is a lovely guy, a really kind man who works
incredibly hard. He tries his utmost all the time and it’s been great to watch him get
stuck into the role and explore it.
“I knew Neil previously from the theatre and we had both worked at the Royal Court. We
were going to do a play where we would have both been policemen but it didn’t work out.
I’m glad we got to do it eventually!”
Away from MIDSOMER MURDERS, Jason is busy developing a feature film made up of
eight interconnecting short films, through his company Portmanteau.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-8-
Jason Hughes plays DS Ben Jones (cont)
“The idea is loosely based on yoga’s Eight Steps of Patanjali and at the end there is a
final film which ties all the characters together. I’m using the theme to retell narratives in
a contemporary and sometimes oblique way. The plan is to film in different countries,
but using the same budget and equipment in each.
“We are a year away from filming and it’s been an incredible learning curve but I’m really
excited about working with the writers to create interesting and exciting scripts to take
the audience through these different worlds.”
When he’s not working, Jason is a devoted family man. He lives in Brighton with his wife
Natasha and three children, Molly, Max and baby Carys.
“I am a hands-on dad, it’s my life. When I finish MIDSOMER MURDERS I come home
and cook, clean, shop and look after the children. I don’t live a rock and roll lifestyle!”
Jason’s other credits include This Life, Plain Jane, The Flint Street Nativity, Phoenix
Blue, Killing Me Softly, Mine All Mine, Waking The Dead, Coming Up and the
forthcoming Dante’s Daemon.
Fiona Dolman plays Sarah Barnaby
Playing the role of Sarah Barnaby in MIDSOMER MURDERS has been an education for
actress Fiona Dolman.
“Sarah Barnaby is the headmistress of Causton Comprehensive School and the scenes
in the school were a real learning curve. I had forgotten how tall sixth-formers are!
“In my first episode we saw her in the school having to deal with some disapproving
teachers, but when you see her again walking down the corridors, the children are
opening doors for her, so the respect has been commanded.
“Sarah seems to have a calm sense of authority. She is not the type to be pushed
around but she is diplomatic; she doesn’t walk over people or impose her will. Her best
way out of a difficult situation is for the confrontational person to walk away and feel they
have come out of it well.”
Adds Fiona: “Her way of schooling is similar. She refers to the boys as young
gentlemen and knows all the children by name. She wants to prepare young people for
the real world and she’s very in touch – she has a modern approach backed up by old
fashioned values.”
Fiona joins in the action in The Dark Rider when Sarah Barnaby attempts to provide the
commentary at the Civil War re-enactment.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
-9-
Fiona Dolman plays Sarah Barnaby (cont)
“It’s been lovely to branch out and have a few scenes with the guest actors, rather than
just being in the Barnaby home all the time. There is such an amazing calibre of actors
in the series who come in as guests. It’s a joy to go to each new read-through and meet
whoever is there.”
Another of the highlights for Fiona is working closely with Neil Dudgeon as her husband,
DCI John Barnaby.
“I feel the relationship between Neil and me has gone from strength to strength, and it
was very easy from day one. The chemistry was there and I really respect him as an
actor. The Barnabys have a normal relationship which potentially could be dull, but it’s
sparky and naughty instead. They share a fundamental set of values.
“Barnaby’s not angst ridden and doesn’t come home and hit the bottle, but helps her in
the kitchen and if I’m working, he’ll do the cooking. It’s an equal relationship and it
mirrors what a lot of working couples do. I like the fact that they get on so well and both
love their jobs, and yet respect each other’s space.”
Adds Fiona: “Neil is great fun and I love working with him. I love sitting with him when
he’s being interviewed as he has a very dry sense of humour and brings real energy to
the character. Offset we get on well too, although he is at work day in, day out, while I
am only in for a couple of days at a time.”
Sykes the dog completes the Barnaby family.
“Sykes is the consummate professional; he hits the mark and does the right thing, as
long as there is a bit of sausage at the end. He knows us better now and is probably a
bit more affectionate with us. I think he knows that we are his screen mum and dad.”
Fiona’s credits include Heartbeat, The Royal Today, Holby City, Doctors, New Tricks,
Coronation Street, Paradox, Waterloo Road and the feature film Ways to Live Forever.
Tamzin Malleson plays Dr Kate Wilding
Tamzin Malleson hoped to bring a touch of glamour to her new role investigating dead
bodies in MIDSOMER MURDERS – but after five episodes she is still waiting.
“When I got the part of Kate, I went shopping with the costume designer in Oxford Street
and we bought silk shirts, a beautifully cut navy suit and a really good pair of high heels.
But I am still wearing scrubs which look like a baby blue romper suit and a face mask –
and I don’t think I’ll ever get to wear those high heels.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 10 -
Tamzin Malleson plays Dr Kate Wilding (cont)
“Because I am always at the murder scene or the mortuary, I am in my scrubs. They are
like pyjamas to wear, so there is certainly no glamour. In my first scene, I even had a
cloud of flies buzzing around my head because they were attracted to the blue romper
suit!”
Tamzin plays pathologist Dr Kate Wilding, who has her work cut out dealing with the
countryside’s high death toll.
“Kate is unmarried and absolutely focused on her career, and coming to Midsomer is a
promotion for her. She’s a professor and a doctor, so she’s well trained – a bright spark.
“She gets on well with Barnaby and Jones and stands her ground. Barnaby respects her
knowledge and, although the relationship is still at that very early stage, it’s developing.
Neil Dudgeon is very good because you think you are getting a straight copper
performance, but he is great at suggesting humour or making things slightly tongue-incheek. It’s perfectly pitched. And Jason has great enthusiasm, they’re a total delight.”
Tamzin was thrilled to get a regular role in MIDSOMER MURDERS.
“You have all these incredible actors playing barking parts, so the regulars have to be
fairly straight to give the balance. I think there is mutual respect between Kate and the
detectives, it’s an exchange of information and my role is to fill in the bits that the
viewers can’t see. I examine the bodies and offer my opinion, but within that there’s
space for a bit of banter.”
Tamzin had plenty of experience to draw on from her other acting roles.
“I was a senior house officer in Always & Everyone and in Bodies I played a specialist
registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology. That was incredibly detailed because the writer
was a doctor himself. So for Midsomer it’s a bit easier, although the murder weapons
are bizarre things like African artefacts!”
Adds Tamzin: “I am slightly squeamish about blood and needles in real life but I am fine
with pretend. And I loved the scenes in the morgue, it was so fascinating.”
Tamzin lives in the Gloucestershire countryside with her partner, actor Keith Allen and
their daughter Teddie. When she’s not working she enjoys painting and the family also
have a smallholding with pigs and grow their own vegetables.
Her credits include Teachers, Bodies, Dangerfield, Always & Everyone, Agatha
Christie’s Poirot, The Vice, Boy Meets Girl and forthcoming feature film 7lives.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 11 Sykes the Dog
One of the new arrivals in MIDSOMER MURDERS is well used to fame and recognition.
Sykes the dog was cast in March this year, after attracting the attention of the
producers. He is a dog actor from Clinton, Oxfordshire, and is best known in the UK for
his appearance as Harvey in the ‘Thinkbox’ television commercial, but he has also
appeared in several Hollywood blockbusters.
Originally found roaming as a stray in 2004, his owner is animal trainer and stunt dog
specialist Gill Raddings. The police were going to place him in kennels, so Raddings
took him in herself.
Gill runs Action Stunt Dogs and Animals, and other dogs sharing her home with Sykes
include Kyte, the Belgian Shepherd who portrayed Wellard in EastEnders. Although a
cross-breed, Gill believes that Sykes has some Parson Russell Terrier stock in him, due
to his long legs.
Sykes joined the series alongside Neil Dudgeon, and was introduced when John
Barnaby is seen talking about the cases to him, while he is waiting for his wife Sarah
(Fiona Dolman) to move jobs to join him in Midsomer.
Neil loves working with Sykes, although he was worried that the terrier would upstage
him. He says: “You have to be careful, as he is a bit of a scene stealer, he knows every
trick in the book, and he will do anything for a sausage.”
Owner and trainer Gill Raddings says she gives her prize performing pooch food as a
treat when he performs a skill. “He does it because he’s trained to do it, but obviously
you reward the dog for doing it correctly”.
The producers decided to keep his name as Sykes as he responded so well to it, and it
seemed to fit in well in Midsomer country. He is normally seen in scenes around the
Barnaby home, although he has also been seen out walking with Barnaby and Sarah as
well as visiting a prospective dog-minder.
In the Everybody Needs a Harvey advert, Sykes is seen ironing, cooking, mowing the
lawn, and driving the children to school. By the end of 2010 the advert had more than a
million hits on YouTube, and over 11,000 followers on Facebook.
Films that Sykes has appeared in include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet
Street, The Other Boleyn Girl, Young Victoria, The Duchess, Pirates of the Caribbean –
The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Wolfman, and Clash of the Titans. His other TV roles
include Casualty and Doc Martin.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 12 Guest Stars – The Dark Rider
James Callis plays Toby DeQuetteville and Julian DeQuetteville
James Callis couldn’t resist the opportunity to play identical twins in MIDSOMER
MURDERS.
“The idea of being two brothers, playing twins, would buzz any actors, and it was a
chance to do two identical but totally different people. They do look a bit different, but
their personalities are the big difference.”
James plays Julian and Toby DeQuetteville, who both live with their extended family at
Quitewell Hall.
He explains: “Julian is ambitious and arrogant, while Toby is someone who tries really
hard, but is possibly walking up the wrong escalator, he’s not quite all there. But he’s
very sweet and a good person. We used trick photography to film them when they were
both in the scene together.
“It was a wonderful experience to play them both and I looked forward to coming to work
every day. It felt like a mini movie – the guns, the headless horseman, the wonderful
house. Raquel Cassidy and Kerry Fox were great as my wives and my dad is William
Gaunt. So I felt very honoured.”
James is a long-standing fan of the series.
“There are lots of things that drew me to this job – I have always watched MIDSOMER
MURDERS and I’d worked with the director Alex Pillai on Merlin. Then the script itself is
fantastic. So many weird and crazy things, it was verging on the supernatural.”
The Civil War re-enactment was another highlight of filming.
“The re-enactment was a great day and my family came up to watch the filming. My
daughter found all the noises a bit scary, but it was a great day as you don’t often have a
Civil War battle in your back garden. Filming at Knebworth House was also beautiful.”
Adds James: “Everyone is always pleased when they hear you are going to be in an
episode of MIDSOMER MURDERS. It’s very popular and everyone I know was very
excited about it.”
James’ credits include more than 70 episodes of Battlestar Galactica, the Bridget Jones
movies, Numb3rs, FlashForward, A Town Called Eureka, Soldier Soldier, Dead Cool and
the forthcoming feature films Austenland and Theatre of Dreams.
When he’s not working he enjoys playing the piano and writing.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 13 -
William Gaunt plays Sir Ludo DeQuetteville
William Gaunt enjoyed living it up as Lord of the Manor at Knebworth House in
MIDSOMER MURDERS.
“Knebworth was my home for a while and it was great. The King’s Speech was filmed
there and every huge rock star in the world has performed there. It was wonderful. The
house itself is so spectacularly eccentric, having been an Elizabethan mansion and now
converted into a gothic palace. It’s unique and we are fortunate that it is still rentable.”
William plays Sir Ludo DeQuetteville, the head of the family, whose nerves are shattered
by the appearance of a ghostly headless horseman which seems to prophesy death.
“Sir Ludo is a mad old fart really, but very interesting to play and I had Eleanor Bron to
play off as my wife which was great fun as they are an equally eccentric couple. The
family were all very individual, as members of a disparate family should be.
“I have lived in the Cotswolds for many years and I have met those kinds of characters
that you see on Country House Rescue. They are so unbelievably out of touch with this
world, and they are immensely attractive as they are so mad.
“I was rather keen that Sir Ludo would look fairly normal and yet behave strangely, which
makes it more interesting. We decided he would wear a cardi and look like he was
completely at home in the big house.”
William enjoyed being reunited with Eleanor Bron for the episode.
“I have worked with Eleanor a few times, when I was running the Liverpool Playhouse
back in the late 70s. We were also together in Doctor Who, when I was a cybernetic
galactic assassin and I killed her. That was great fun. When you get to my age you
meet people you have worked with many, many years ago and you pick up just the
same.
“I knew Neil Dudgeon as I’d married Caroline Quentin’s mother in Life of Riley, so that
was lovely to work with him again. It’s a difficult job taking over from John Nettles, but I
think Neil has achieved a different character with his Barnaby and managed it very well.
I also appeared with Jason Hughes in Look Back in Anger at the National Theatre.”
William began his career in the 1960s and his credits include Next of Kin, Capstick’s
Law, No Place Like Home, A Gentleman’s Club, The Far Pavilions, The Champions,
Nobody’s House, Holly and Sergeant Cork.
“At my age I can be selective but I work if there are projects that attract me. I recently
did an episode of Doctors with my daughter Tilly who is an actress and we played father
and daughter. Unfortunately she was trying to kill me in it, so that was a lot of fun.
“While I was doing MIDSOMER MURDERS I also did a play at the Bush Theatre and we
managed to make it work. So I am not giving up yet!”
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 14 Kerry Fox plays Betty DeQuetteville
Kerry Fox loved being part of the “barking mad” DeQuetteville family in MIDSOMER
MURDERS.
“I decided a while ago only to go to work to have a fun time and this job fitted the bill.
The episode is completely nuts, the family are barking mad and I was happy to go with it.
I really loved working on MIDSOMER MURDERS.”
Kerry’s character Betty married Toby DeQuetteville following the death of his first wife in
a riding accident. She was formerly the estate manager of the family’s ancestral home
Quitewell Hall.
Says Kerry: “Betty is loyal and honest and hardworking and she has a good sense of
humour. She is anxious about the future of the house and is also protective of her
husband. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly but neither does she miss the irony over
aspects of their lifestyle. When the murders start happening, she can’t quite believe it.
“She has quite an English look and wore the same thing every day, variations of the
same shirt. I bought some fantastic fur-lined ankle-high Wellington boots at the end. I
couldn’t resist them and I’ve used them in the garden!”
Kerry, a New Zealander by birth, enjoyed filming at historic Knebworth House.
“I loved filming at Knebworth and at the same time as we were filming, I was watching
the All Blacks playing rugby. There I was in this grand location, watching the rugby live
on my iPod. It was quite a surreal experience.
“I realised during the filming of MIDSOMER MURDERS that I’ve now been away from
New Zealand longer than I lived there. That is a strange milestone. I have been in
London for 17 years and it’s home now.”
Adds Kerry: “In Australia and New Zealand they love the Englishness and the madness
of Midsomer, so I will have them watching!”
Kerry has a number of other roles in the pipeline.
“I’ve just done a feature film called Trap for Cinderella, a comedy called Mental and the
film adaptation of Mr Pip, playing Hugh Laurie’s ex-wife. I’ve also got a big Australian
TV series coming out on Sky Atlantic which is an adaptation of Tim Winton’s
Cloudstreet. I play a matriarch in times of ration and war.”
Her other credits include Shallow Grave, An Angel at my Table, A Village Affair, Mr
Wroe’s Virgins, Fanny and Elvis, 40, Intimacy and Welcome to Sarajevo.
Adds Kerry: “I have just decided to take a couple of months off work now as I have two
kids and one was saying the other day ‘I just want to stay at home’. We’d done 15 cities
in 20 days so now I am taking time out to spend with the family and sort out schools.”
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 15 -
Raquel Cassidy plays Diana DeQuetteville
Diana DeQuetteville has trapped herself in an unhappy life, despite being married to an
aristocratic heir, according to actress Raquel Cassidy.
“Diana is an extremely lonely figure,” says Raquel. “She is defined by her relationships with her husband who has cheated on her, and her sister-in-law who comes in and
orders everyone around. She didn’t make anything of herself as she felt she wouldn’t
have to, but later realises what she has imprisoned herself into.
“She wanted to be the lady of the manor, but she hasn’t got either the companionship or
the excitement she imagined by marrying Julian, and the family is struggling financially.
So her expectations of life are not fulfilled and she has nothing to fall back on because of
the choices she has made.”
Despite Diana’s unhappiness and the strange deaths that befall the family in
MIDSOMER MURDERS, Raquel enjoyed being part of the eccentric DeQuettevilles.
“James Callis played my husband and he brought loads of freshness to the role. So
although we had a partnership that was bitter and twisted, there was a camaraderie and
diehard attitude between them, and they did have a sort of relationship.
“Although the DeQuettevilles appear to be a cold family who don’t really care, they do
care quite deeply in their own strange way. Almost anyone in the family could have
committed the murders, as they all individually loathed and loved one another.”
Diana’s look reflects her unhappiness.
“She is always in dresses and heels, pretty much a woman on the turn, which is a
terrible phrase, but if you have nothing else that’s what you do. Her only appeal was the
way she looked and she still wants to keep herself thin and attractive. So she would
drink herself lonely and try to be sophisticated but she is no longer blooming and fresh.”
Adds Raquel: “It’s not great to be the cuckolded wife, and if Diana had had children it
would make her happier because she had produced an heir. But it’s hard when people
keep pointing out that she doesn’t have any children, and yet her husband is believed to
have sired plenty in the village.”
Raquel came to the role straight after filming a new episode of Hustle.
“I play John Barrowman’s wife, called Dana Deville, and then I went straight on to play
Diana DeQuetteville. It was quite strange and I got the names confused at times! I’m
also in a new drama for Sky called A Touch of Cloth with John Hannah and Suranne
Jones. It’s a satire on A Touch of Frost and it was so much fun to do.”
Raquel’s other credits include Lead Balloon, Teachers, Moving Wallpaper, DCI Banks,
Land Girls, Party Animals, According to Bex, The Worst Week of My Life, Red Cap and
Nature Boy.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 16 Natalie Mendoza plays Sasha Fleetwood
Natalie Mendoza credits MIDSOMER MURDERS with getting her back into acting after she was hurt
onstage during a performance of the Broadway musical Spiderman.
“I got injured while working on Spiderman. I was flying and attached to a wire and it
went wrong and I suffered concussion. I got spooked by it because it took longer than I
thought to recover and my memory was affected which is a disaster for an actor. So I
decided to take six months off.
“When I got the offer to do MIDSOMER MURDERS my memory had all come back and
my confidence with it. I was so excited at the thought of going back to England and
working in that environment. I was honest with the director Alex Pillai but he was so
positive and lovely so I took the offer and had a ball. It was a huge turning point for me.”
The role of Sasha Fleetwood meant Natalie facing her fears of stunts head on – as it
required her to ride horses.
“As an actor I have always enjoyed doing my own stunts and the idea of getting on a
horse conquered my demons. I absolutely loved it and got the bug for horse riding
again. The whole process was very cathartic for me and it meant more than I could say
to do this perfect job. And having a cup of tea on set in the English countryside – what
more could you want?”
Sasha runs a riding stable and is married to an older man, successful financier Harry
Fleetwood (Paul Ritter).
Says Natalie: “Sasha is an ambitious, strong lady; she is driven but she’s coming from
the right place. She genuinely loves her husband and wants what’s best for him. She is
sophisticated and smart and she runs the marriage. There is a nice arc to her story,
where she is humbled and realises that ambition has taken her a little too far.”
Sasha’s clothes were another part of the role’s appeal. “I didn’t expect her to be as
glamorous as she was. I had a ball shopping for her clothes. For riding, I had a
wonderful red jacket and I fell in love with one of her Diane von Fürstenberg dresses and
had to take that back home with me!”
Since filming the episode, Natalie has returned to Los Angeles where she is developing
film and music projects with her partner Glen Ballard, a songwriter and film producer.
“When I had time off from acting I got in touch with the writer in me and wrote a pilot for
a new series in LA. It’s in the early stages at the moment but I’m very excited about
filming it next year. Glen and I also have a film trilogy coming out.”
Adds Natalie: “I grew up in Australia but I trained at the Bristol Old Vic, so although I live
in LA now, England will always be a second home for me’
Natalie has appeared in several stage musicals and her other film and TV credits include
Hotel Babylon, Fearless, The Descent, BeastMaster and Surviving Evil.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 17 Producer – Jo Wright
Jo Wright was part of the small team that launched Channel 4. From there, she went to
Thames TV to work as an assistant producer on the award-winning British Cinema
documentary series with directors Richard Attenborough, Alan Parker and Lindsay
Anderson.
Richard Attenborough asked her to produce and direct a documentary for the BBC about
his film set in South Africa, Cry Freedom. She later joined Selectv to produce Tracey
Ullman: A Class Act for HBO and Lovejoy for the BBC. After producing the first series of
the police drama Out of the Blue, she became an executive producer in BBC Drama
Serials where she worked on various projects, including the Doctor Who TV movie
(made with Fox in the US) and the award winning The Sculptress.
She was then made Head of Drama Series at the BBC where she was responsible for
over 200 hours of popular drama a year, including Eastenders, Casualty, This Life, Silent
Witness and City Central.
For three years she was Controller of Drama, London Weekend Television, where she
looked after programmes which included London’s Burning, The Knock, Hero of the
Hour, Blonde Bombshell, Forgotten, Buried Treasure and the multi award-winning
Othello. (Shown on PBS and winner of the Peabody award).
Jo then produced the drama series 55 Degrees North for BBC1. She has since worked
as a consultant to Lifetime TV in Los Angeles, where she developed their Emmy award
winning mini-series Human Trafficking.
She then made a film, in South Africa, written by John Fortune, for the BBC about the
attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, COUP! starring Jared Harris and Robert Bathurst.
She returned to South Africa to produce a drama pilot called Life is Wild for the CW
network in the US, which was picked up as a series.
Director – Alex Pillai
Alex Pillai has directed many of the top-rating shows on British television, including
Merlin, Being Human, Silent Witness, Trial & Retribution, Robin Hood, Wire in the Blood,
Blue Murder, Touching Evil, Thief Takers and The Wyvern Mystery. He also directed the
award-winning film Flight for BBC Screen Two and recent feature film Victim. This is his
first episode of MIDSOMER MURDERS.
Writer – Michael Aitkens
Michael Aitkens has been part of the MIDSOMER MURDERS team since 2006 and has
written eight episodes. A former actor, he wrote nearly 50 episodes of the acclaimed
comedy Waiting for God and his other credits include Bust, Stay Lucky, Class Act, A
Perfect State, The Last Detective and Murder in Suburbia.
MIDSOMER MURDERS
- 18 The Dark Rider
Cast List
DCI John Barnaby .................................................................
DS Ben Jones .......................................................................
Sarah Barnaby ......................................................................
Kate Wilding ..........................................................................
Neil Dudgeon
Jason Hughes
Fiona Dolman
Tamzin Malleson
Bentham DeQuetteville .........................................................
Toby DeQuetteville / Julian DeQuetteville .............................
Ludo DeQuetteville ................................................................
Izzy DeQuetteville .................................................................
Betty DeQuetteville ................................................................
Diana DeQuetteville ..............................................................
Simon DeQuetteville ..............................................................
Sasha Fleetwood ..................................................................
Harry Fleetwood ....................................................................
Amanda Harding ...................................................................
Murray Melvin
James Callis
William Gaunt
Eleanor Bron
Kerry Fox
Raquel Cassidy
James Clay
Natalie Mendoza
Paul Ritter
Louisa Clein
Production Credits
Producer ............................................................................... Jo Wright
Director ................................................................................. Alex Pillai
Writer .................................................................................... Michael Aitkens
Consultant ............................................................................. Betty Willingale
Based on characters created by ............................................ Caroline Graham
Composer ………………………………………………………… Jim Parker
A Bentley Production for ITV1