Real-life relatives among Midsomer Murders actors

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 9 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

 

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

 

 

 

 

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🤓 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.