ITV’s Midsomer Murders fans suspect the new series of the popular detective drama could be the last time they see Neil Dudgeon star as DCI John Barnaby.
Speculation on who could replace Dudgeon has produced several big names, with one BBC star emerging as the bookies' favourite after a comment from the Midsomer star.
Dudgeon has been solving murders in the seemingly quiet village of Misdomer as DCI Barnaby since 2010.
According to data from one bookmaker, former Dr Who and Broadchurch star David Tennant is among the names tipped to take on the role – with 9/2 odds.
Happy Valley star James Norton is another front-runner, with bookmakers giving him matching 9/2 odds.
However, the current favourite to succeed Dudgeon is Line of Duty star Martin Compston, with 3/1 odds as he's tipped to make the move from AC-12 to Midsomer.
Dudgeon has starred in Midsomer Murders since 2010
ITV
The Scottish actor, who plays Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in the show, shot up the rankings after Dudgeon took a playful swipe at Line of Duty.
Speaking of some of Midsomer Murder’s more outlandish and grizzly plots, the 63-year-old claimed: “Line of Duty wouldn't touch any of these things. They haven’t got the balls for it.
“You don’t need a maverick detective in the midst of all that. You need a calm centre of thoughtful integrity. A man who knows where he stands,” he told the Daily Mail's Weekend Magazine.
Sportscasting.com spokesperson Andy Newton said it would therefore be a “fitting twist” if Compston was to now step in "much like one of the ITV show’s storylines”.
Martin Compston as Detective Sergeant Steve Arnot
BBC
Newton considers the 40-year-old Scottish actor an “ideal fit to make the role his own”.
Compston may be seeking a new role as the future of Line of Duty remains in limbo after the series initially concluded in 2021.
There is no official word on a return, but his co-star Adrian Dunbar, who plays Superintendent Ted Hastings, said he felt AC-12 were “are up for” a comeback earlier this week.
"Everybody thinks so,” he continued while on Good Morning Britain. "It'll be down to the BBC and Doctor Jed Mercurio I think, when and whether we do it."
The other third of the Line of Duty triumvirate, Vicky McClure who plays Detective Inspector Kate Fleming, was also hopeful for a return.
Speaking to This Morning, the 41-year-old said: "We've all said we love the show, we would want to go again but there's nothing to talk about. So, it's really disappointing in terms of 'no news'."
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Line of Duty's future, and Compton's as a star, is in limbo
BBC
Outside of the three front runners, several other big names have emerged in a larger list of potential new leads for Midsomer Murders.
Other names in contention are Sherlock and The Responder star Martin Freeman with (6/1), Doc Martin’s Martin Clunes on (7/1) and outgoing Death in Paradise lead Ralf Little (8/1).
Some of the more far-fetched names include Nicholas Lyndhurst (12/1), Tim Roth (14/1) and Daniel Radcliffe (20/1).
