Midsomer Murders fans fear for beloved character as star addresses being 'replaced'

Midsomer Murders enthusiasts are abuzz with speculation that Annette Badland, who plays Fleur Perkins in the popular ITV series, might be on her way out. Despite no official plans for departure, a fan's post on a dedicated Facebook group sparked concern: "Has Annette Badland left Midsomer? Please let me know."

The comments section saw other fans sharing their unease about the potential exit of the character. One wrote: "I hope not, she is brilliant."

Another added: "I hope not I love her," and a third said: "Hope not she is great."

Annette Badland, who has been a part of the Midsomer Murders family as the motorcycle-loving chief pathologist since 2019, is now a staple in the show's 20th season. Speaking to Express.co.uk, she delved into her role as Fleur and addressed the notion of being replaced.

"It's brilliant to play an older woman who's got a very interesting private life and who is very good at her job and can send the blokes up and intrigue them and things. It's terrific, you know, and there should be more - and they exist in real life - characters like that, really," she told Express.

Reflecting on a conversation with the producer, Annette recalled: "When the producer asked me to do it, they said that one time the person playing the pathologist had been ill and they didn't know how to get around it when they were filming."

The actor radiated joy as they detailed the creative process, stating: "Then they said, 'Oh, I know, we'll have them send a fax through with the details and Barnaby can read it out.' And he said, 'I wanted a new character who could not be replaced by a fax machine.' So Fleur certainly can't be replaced by a fax machine!"

Annette isn't the only Midsomer Murders actor who feared being replaced. Neil Dudgeon, who took over from John Nettles as the lead detective, spoke candidly about the fear of cancellation.

In a chat with Radio Times, the actor confessed: "If they'd cancelled me after one series, that would have been embarrassing! It gets easier, but I strive to keep it fresh. Even if I've reviewed the script 50 times, I'll revisit it and have another thought."

"He concluded with a sense of satisfaction, "It's still extremely pleasant and I'm extremely grateful."

Midsomer Murders is available to watch on the ITV Hub.