Do you feel the same way? You watch Midsomer Murders and suddenly think: I know that face – but where from? What many fans don’t realise is just how many actors in Midsomer Murders are actually related in real life – siblings, parents and children, even couples.

 

Here we go.

Note: This table is still a work in progress (last updated 14 September 2025) and certainly not complete, but it’s growing bit by bit. If you know of any other real-life relatives or family connections among the actors, please share them with me. I also plan to add photos of the different actors (where siblings, parents or partners appear), but before that I’ll need to check with the production company whether this is allowed – I don’t want to overstep my bounds.

 

Janine Duvitski and Paul Bentall are the parents of  Ruby Bentall.

-> Janine Duvitski played both ‘Deirdre Tibbs’ in 01×02: Death of a Hollow Man, and ‘Hattie Bainbridge’ in 22×06: The Witches of Angel’s Rise

-> Paul Bentall played hotel owner ‘Edward Palfrey’ in 12×05: Small Mercies

-> Ruby Bentall played waitress ‘Stella Starling’ in 20×03: Drawing Dead

 

Lin Blakley is the mother of Claudie Blakley

-> Lin Blakley played Barnaby’s acquaintance (and in this episode, sports partner) ‘Janet Painter’  in 12×01: The Dogleg Murders

-> Claudie Blakeley played hotel owner ‘Claire Asher’ in 17×04: The Ballad of Midsomer County

 

Philip Bond was the father of Samantha Bond.

-> Philip Bond played doctor ‘Dr. Wyatt’ in 10×08: Death in a Chocolade Box

-> Samantha Bond played several roles: 

(1) ‘Suzanna Chambers’ in 04×02: Destroying Angels

(2) ‘Arabella Hammond’ in: 11×01: Shot at Dawn

(3) ‘Kate Cameron’ in 14×01: Death in the Slow Lane

 

Gwyneth Stron is married to Jesse Birdsall.

-> Gwyneth Strong played ‘Katie Soper’ in 13×01: The Made-to-Measure Murders

-> Jesse Birdsall played both pool man ‘Harry Painter’ in 05×01: Market for Murder, and Gift Shop Owner ‘Mike Johnson’ in 12×05: Small Mercies

 

Richard Briers was the father of Lucy Briers.

-> Richard Briers played Reverend ‘Stephen Wentworth’ in 02×01: Death’s Shadow

-> Lucy Briers played teacher ‘Jessica Wingate’ in 14×01: Death in the Slow Lane

 

Jonathan Coy is the father of Jolyon Coy.

-> Jonathan Coy played ‘Kenneth Gooders’ in 04×02: Destroying Angel

-> Jolyon Coy played ‘Fabian Monkford’ in 18×04: A Dying Art

 

Nick Hendrix is the husband of Jessica Ellerby

-> Nick Hendrix is playing ‘DS Jamie Winter’ since season 19

-> Jessica Ellerby played journalist ‘Caitlin Dawson’ in 22×04: The  Scarecrow Murders

 

Sinéad Cusack is the sister of Niamh Cusack.

-> Sinéad Cusack played former horror movie actress ‘Stella Harris’ in 15×04: Death and the Divas

-> Niamh Cusack played ‘Penny Galsworthy’ in 11×06: Days of Misrule

 

Peter Egan is the father of Rebecca Egan.

-> Peter Egan played both businessman ‘Norman Swanscombe’ in 13×07: Not in My Backyard, and ‘Grady Palmerston’ in 20×02: Death of the Small Coppers

-> Rebecca Egan played estate agent ‘Harriet Davis’ in 09×01: The House in the Woods

 

Joanna David is the wife of Edward Fox. Edward Fox and James Fox  are brothers. Jack Fox is James Fox’ son.

-> Joanna David played both ‘Amy Lyddiard’ in 01×01 Written in Blood, and ‘Mother Julian’ in 14×07: A Sacred Trust

-> Edward Fox played reclusive ‘William Bingham’ in 14×02: Dark Secrets

-> James Fox played pianist ‘Sir Michael Fielding’ in 13×05: Master Class

-> Jack Fox played beekeeper ‘Jude Deddington’ in 21×03: The Sting of Death

 

Julian Glover and Isla Blair are the parents of Jamie Glover.

-> Julian Glover played landowner ‘Henry Trace’ in der pilot episode: The Killings at Badger‘s Drift

-> Isla Blair played psychological profiler ‘Dr. Jane Moore’ in 06×02: Death and Dreams

-> Jamie Glover played antique dealer ‘Jamie Cramner’ in 09×08: Last Year‘s Model

 

Annette Crosbie is the mother of Selena Griffiths

-> Annette Crosbie played ‘Amelia Plummer’ in 08×07: Sauce for the Goose

-> Selena Griffiths played ‘Elspeth Rice’ in 17×04: A Vintage Murder

 

Phyllida Law is the mother of Emma Thompson.

-> Phyllida Law played both ’Felicity Dinsdale’ in 02×04: Blood Will Out, and ’Mary Bingham’ in 14×02: Dark Secrets

-> Sophie Thompson played ’April Gooding’ in 09×02: Dead Letters

 

Gordon Gostelow and Vivian Pickles were/are the parents of Harry Gostelow.

Vivian Pickles is also Carolyn Pickles’ aunt. Carolyn Pickles and Harry Gostelow are cousins.

-> Gordon Gostelow played ‘Reginald Williams’ in 02×01: Death‘s Shadow

-> Vivian Pickles played his sister-in-law ‘Agnes Sampson’ in 02×01: Death‘s Shadow 

-> Harry Gostelow played  both ‘Dr. Robertshaw’ in 06×05: Birds of Prey, and an unnamed doctor in 07×07: The Ghosts of Christmas Past

-> Carolyn Pickles played both ‘Sister Lovelace’ in 03×02: Blue Herrings, and ‘Wendy Minchin’ in 13×01: The Made-to-Measure Murders

 

Caroline Harker is the sister of Susannah Harker. Caroline Harker is the wife of Anthony Calf.

-> Caroline Harker played ‘Tamzin Proctor’ in 05×02: A Market For Murder

-> Susannah Harker played art school owner ‘Matilda Simms’ in 12×02: The Black Book

-> Anthony Calf played both ‘Stephen Cavendish’ in 02×03: Dead Man’s Eleven, and ‘Julian Lennard’ in 19×01: The Village That Rose from the Dead

 

James Bolan is the husband of Susan Jameson

-> James Bolan played soon-to-be-retired Superintendent ‘Ron Pringle’ in 03×01: Death of a Stranger

-> Susan Jameson played former international cricketer ‘Germaine Troughton’ in 19×03: Last Man Out

 

Miles Anderson is the father of Joe Anderson.

-> Miles Anderson played both billionaire and entrepreneur ‘Guy Gamelin’ in 01×04: Death in Disguise, and music producer ‘Lance Woodrow’ in 09×08: Last Year’s Model

-> Joe Anderson played ‘Max Ransom’ in 08×05: Second Sight

 

James Hazeldine was the father of Sam Hazeldine.

-> James Hazeldine played business man ‘Leo Bantock’ in 06×01: A Talent for Life

-> Sam Hazeldine played band manager and Cully Barnaby’s boyfriend/husband ‘Simon Dixon’ in four episodes: 10×04: The Axeman’s Cometh, 10×05: Dust and Dreams, 10×08: Death in a Chocolate Box, 11×02: Blood Wedding

 

Freddie Jones is the father of Toby Jones.

-> Freddie Jones played pub regular ‘Benbow’ in 07×05: The Maid in Splendour

-> Toby Jones played pathologist ‘Dan Peterson’ in four episodes: 02×02: Strangler’s Wood, 02×03: Dead Man’s Eleven, 03×01: Death of a Stranger, 03×03: Judgement Day

 

Gemma Jones is the sister of Nicholas Jones.

-> Gemma Jones played parish archivist ‘Maisie Gooch’ in 05×04: Ring Your Dead Out

-> Nicholas Jones played both Reverend ‘Moreland’ in 13×01: The Made-to-Measure Murders, and Antique Dealer ‘Ernest Bradley’ in 16×05: The Killing at Copenhagen

 

Kate Maberly is the sister of Polly Maberly.

-> Kate Maberly played postwoman ‘Holly Reid’ in 04×05: Dark Autumn

-> Polly Maberly played ‘Julie Stockard’ in 04×01: Who Killed Cock Robin?

 

Lizzy McInnerny is the sister of Tim McInnerny.

-> Lizzy McInnerny played both writer ‘Caroline Plummer’ in 08×07: Sauce For the Goose, and ‘Alberta Tooms’ in 22×02: The Stitcher Society

-> Tim McInnerny played property developers ‘Hugh Dalgleish’ in 13×02: The Sword of Guillaume

 

Trevor Peacock is the father of Harry Peacock.

-> Trevor Peacock played soon-to-be-married ‘Charlie Speight’ in 08×08: Midsomer Rhapsody

-> Harry Peacock played ‘Patrick Bradley’ in 11×03: Left for Dead

 

Angela Thorne and Peter Penry-Jones were the parents of Laurence Penry-Jones.

-> Angela Thorne played ‘Lady Lavinia Chetwood’ in 05×01: Market for a Murder

-> Peter Penry-Jones played ‘Peter Rhodes, Marquis of Ross’ in 04×03: The Electric Vendetta

-> Laurence Penry-Jones played the ‘younger Peter Rhodes’ in the flashback sequence in 04×03: The Electric Vendetta

 

Sarah Woodward is the sister of Tim Woodward.

-> Sarah Woodward played ‘Ursula Shirewell’ in 24×01: The Devil’s Work

-> Tim Woodward played tunnel construction entrepreneur ‘Timothy Webster’ in 07×01: The Green Man

 

Jane Wymark is the sister of Tristam Wymark.

-> Jane Wymark played ‘Joyce Barnaby’ in the pilot episode and the first 13 seasons. (Need I say more?!)

-> Tristam Wymark played ‘Gordon Pope’ in 13×05: Master Class

 

Ronald Pickup was the father of Rachel Pickup.

-> Ronald Pickup played both landowner ‘Rupert Smythe-Webster’ in 06×04: A Tale of Two Hamlets, and seller of magical items ‘Ernest Balliol’ in 11×05: The Magician’s Nephew

-> Rachel Pickup played ‘witch’ ‘Isolde Balliol’ in 11×05: The Magician’s Nephew

 

Barbara Young was the mother of Cory Pulman and Liza Pulman who are sisters.

-> Barbara Young played both ‘Anne Quine’ in the pilot episode: The Killings at Badger’s Drift, and ‘Gwen Trevelyan in 09×08: Last Year’s Model

-> Cory Pulman played Samaritans volunteer ‘Terry Bazely’ in the pilot episode: The Killings at Badger’s Drift

-> Liza Pulman played an unnamed crooner at the 50’s dance festival in 10×01: Dance with the Dead

 

John Shrapnel is the father of Lex Shrapnel.

-> John Shrapnel played both psychologist and book author ‘Max Jennings’ in 01×01: Written in Blood, and businessman ‘Leo Clarke’ in 09×07: Death in Chorus

-> Lex Shrapnel played stunt pilot ‘Gavin Hopkirk’ in 16×04: The Flying Club

 

Clive Swift was the uncle of Julia Swift.

-> Clive Swift played ‘Felix Hope’, a member of the Bleakridge Watch, in 19×02 Crime and Punishment

-> Julia Swift played an employee (or the owner?) of Cosy Kitchen Tea Rooms ‘Angie Blunstone’ in 05×04: Ring Out Your Dead

 

David Troughton is the father of Sam Troughton.

-> David Troughton played both drama teacher ‘Brian Clapper’ in 01×01: Written in Blood, and gardener ‘Miles King’ in 10×02: The Animal Within

-> Sam Troughton played day labourer ‘Henry Marsh’ in 19×02: Crime and Punishment

 

Christopher Villiers is the brother of Jay Villiers.

-> Christopher Villiers played estate manager of Tye House, ‘David Whitely’, in two episodes: the pilot episode: The Killings at Badger‘s Drift and in 02×01: Death’s Shadow

-> Jay Villiers played film director ‘Nick Cheney’ in 10×07: They Seek Him Here

 

Perdita Weeks is the sister of Honeysuckel Weeks.

-> Perdita Weeks played ‘Hannah Moore’ in 06×02: Death and Dreams

-> Honeysuckle Weeks played ‘Fleur Bridges’, daughter of the landowner, in 02×04: Blood Will Out

 

Prunella Scales and Timothy West are the parents of Samuel West.

-> Prunella Scales played Ms. ‘dead is an unword’ ‘Eleanor Bunsall’ in 03×04: Beyond the Grave

-> Timothy West played ‘Marcus Devere’ in 03×03: Judgement Day

-> Samuel West played museum director and book author ‘Jeremy Thacker’ in 10×02: The Animal Within, and ‘James Oswald’ in 19×05: Death by Persuasion

 

Jeffry Wickham was the father of Saskia Wickham.

-> Jeffry Wickham played an unnamed judge in 05×02: A Worm in the Bud

-> Saskia Wickham played ‘Anne Woodrow’ in 09×08: Last Year’s Model

 

 

 

 

Back to the overview

 

🤓 Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

In 2025, there are many reasons to celebrate and commemorate in Midsomer County. What happened 25 years ago and more? They are listed here in chronological order. And at the end you can read which episodes will be a quarter of a century old in 2025.

 

January

❓ 60 years ago (24 January): Midsomer Worthy’s Eric Edwards is reported missing. (07×01: The Green Man)

 

April

🎂 55 years ago (15 April): Emma Harris of Midsomer Langley is born. (15×04: Death and the Divas)

 

June

🙏150 years ago (25 June): Carolina Maria Roberts, terminally ill with tuberculosis, commits suicide on the grand staircase of the entrance hall of St Fidelis, March Magna. According to her tombstone, she is ‘not dead, but sleepth.’

🙏 30 years ago (26 June): Bella Trace is murdered in the woods of Badger’s Drift. (Pilot episode: The murders at Badger’s Drift)

 

October

🙏 50 years ago (16 October): Midsomer Wellow bell-ringer Gordon Fogden died. A quarter peal of Grandsire Double was rung in his honour. (05×04: Ring Out Your Dead)

🙏 25 years ago (28 October): Dave Cutler, a popular postman in Goodman’s Land, is murdered shortly before his 32nd birthday. (04×05: Dark Autumn)

 

November

🏅 100 years ago (20 November): The ruins of Waverley Abbey, a popular filming location for Midsomer’s Abbeys, are added to the National Heritage List.

 

 

The following episodes of Midsomer Murders were broadcast in 2000

(first UK broadcast)

• 22 January: 03×02: Blue Herrings
• 29 January: 03×03: Judgment Day
• 05 February: 03×04: Beyond the Grave
• 10 September: 04×01: Garden of Death

 

Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

It was sometime in the summer of 2005 when my mother mentioned, almost in passing:
‘There’s a new crime series on TV. It’s really good.‘

That was all I needed to hear. I had been allowed to watch Murder, She Wrote and Columbo with her from the age of eight, and by my teenage years I had worked my way through nearly all of Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Marple novels. So a recommendation like this, coming from her, carried weight.

That Sunday evening, I sat down to watch Midsomer Murders – or, as it’s known in Germany (and a few other countries), Inspector Barnaby. I must have taken to it quickly, although the episode that truly lodged itself in my memory was Dead Man’s Eleven. It didn’t air in Germany until the summer of 2006, under the title ‚Sport is a Murder‘ – a play on the German phrase ‚Sport ist Mord.‘

I remember it particularly because I found the ending so troubling. A mother and daughter, grieving the loss of their husband and father – brought about by a cold, self-interested Nazi memorabilia collector. And yet it was Patricia who died. Why? Why not a simpler ending: both women arrested, Robert Cavendish given a heavy dose of Valium and a few hours – maybe days – to reflect and change his ways? It didn’t feel fair. In truth, I still don’t quite understand the narrative choice.

I must have seen most episodes when they were first broadcast on ZDF, although the channel didn’t begin airing them in the correct order until 2014 – starting with the first episode featuring John Barnaby. When ZDFneo, the network’s special-interest channel, started showing episodes every Monday evening in 2010, I followed them there too.

But Monday evenings were also reserved for the second division of men’s football. So each week brought a choice: Is the match worth watching, or is it a Barnaby evening?

From 2012 on, two episodes were broadcast back to back – and from 2018 finally in chronological order. I usually watched at least the second one. And ever since Monday matches were removed from the Bundesliga 2 schedule in 2017, our Monday routine has been consistent: two episodes of Midsomer Murders, in order, every week. Again and again.
We’re currently in the sixth full run, here in 2025.

Every January, the new episodes premiere on ZDF and are later integrated into the rotation on ZDFneo – where they quietly take their place among the well-worn favourites.

And so, at least once a week, my path leads me back to Midsomer – quietly, as if it had never quite let me go.

 

 

🤓 Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.