![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/20\/590x\/secondary\/Neil-Dudgeon-as-DCI-John-Barnaby-4928539.jpg?r=1693040682409\")
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Richard asked Neil: “If I had been interviewing you when you took over I know the question I would have put to you, did you have to think hard about stepping into John Nettles’ shoes?”<\/p>\n
The host continues: “Because obviously, it was a huge success with John, I just wondered as an actor. I mean the proof is in the pudding in the 50th episode, but at the time did you have to think twice about would this be a poison chalice?.”<\/p>\n
Neil replied: “Ermm no, not really, I had always been a great fan of the show and when they, it was a very protractive process that I came to do the part.”<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> Holly Willoughby left red-faced after needing help with Midsomer Murders role[LATEST] <\/strong><\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n “You kind of slid in during his closing episodes didn’t you?” Richard added.<\/p>\n “Yeah, I was introduced in one episode and then I appeared in his final episode, yeah I was his cousin”, Neil adds: “But they kind of approached me a couple of years before John left, about 18 months before, so it seemed to be one of those things ‘they’re interested’ and ‘would you be interested’, and this sort of courtship thing went on, and I thought that will never happen.<\/p>\n “People offer you jobs and you end up not getting them, people write parts for you, that you end up not getting, so the idea of that this might happen one day, I thought it may never happen.”<\/p>\n Neil has starred as DCI John Barnaby, who is DCI Tom’s cousin, since 2011.\u00a0<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/20\/590x\/secondary\/John-Nettles-as-DCI-Barnaby-4928542.jpg?r=1693040682470\")
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