DEATH OF A STRANGER
Episode Aired on ITV1 on 31st Dec 1999
Production Company: Bentley Productions Ltd
Filming Locations: Pinewood Studios and on location


Episode Writer: Douglas Livingstone
Director: Peter Cregeen
Producer: Peter Cregeen & Ian Strachan
Executive Producer: Delia Fine & Brian True-May
Production Designer: Robert Foster
Costume Designer: Reg Samuel
Casting Director: Joyce Nettles

As the Upper Marshwood Hunt heads off into the distance with the unforgettable sound of the horses and hounds in pursuit of the fox, a filthy tramp runs for cover in the woods, stumbles, and falls into a pit ... screaming.

DCI Barnaby returns from a holiday in France to discover an unidentified tramp has been beaten to death in the woods. Chief Inspector Pringle, just before his retirement, had hastily arrested a young local, Billy Gurdie, for the crime. Barnaby however suspects he is innocent, and this is reinforced when the body of Billy’s father is discovered at the same spot. Barnaby decides to find out more about the villagers.

Featuring regulars; John Nettles & Daniel Casey, with James Bolam, Tom Smith, and Laura Howard.

My role was that of a young local Theatre Director, who is directing a production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’.

‘Midsomer Murders’ is a classic English village murder mystery and has always been a favourite of aficionados of detective stories.

Following the tradition laid out by Agatha Christie, ‘Midsomer Murders’ features Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, the creation of writer Caroline Graham on whose books the early teleplays were based. Although the location is always the same, the settings range from village fetes, to cricket on the green, to tea at the vicarage, and story lines include drug taking, incest, gay sex and sadomasochism … Oh, and lots of murders!

The very popular ‘Midsomer Murders’ is not without humour despite the sinister goings on, and over the years has featured the cream of British acting talent. Each episode has a budget in the region of £1.3 million.

My appearance was broadcast on New Years Eve 1999, and this particular episode (‘Death of a Stranger’: Series 3) has been repeated on ITV2 – 11TH March 2000, 31ST March 2001, 25th April 2003, 19th March 2005, and ITV3 – 29th April 2005.

Long live ‘Midsomer Murders’!