ITV detective drama Midsomer Murders to make stage debut in autumn
The show’s first episode from 1997 is being adapted by screenwriter Guy Unsworth for a touring stage production.
Long-running ITV detective drama Midsomer Murders is to be adapted for the stage for the first time.
The show’s first episode, The Killings At Badger’s Drift, which first aired in 1997, is being adapted by screenwriter Guy Unsworth for a touring stage production.
The run of shows is set to open at Richmond Theatre, south-west London, on October 24 and will tour across the country until April 2026.
Based on the 1987 novel by Caroline Graham of the same name, the story sees Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Barnaby and his sidekick Sergeant Troy called in to investigate the death of well-loved spinster Emily Simpson in the picturesque village of Badger’s Drift as her friend Lucy Bellringer refuses to accept it was an accident.
However, the pair uncover a world of hidden passions, long-buried secrets and deadly rivalries.
Author Graham said she was “delighted” to be part of the story, which she describes as “fast paced and witty”.
Matthew Green, of Nicholson Green Productions, which is producing the stage show, said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift to the stage, particularly as it’s the first time one of the Midsomer stories has been adapted for the stage.”
Actor John Nettles starred as DCI Tom Barnaby from the show’s premiere in 1997 until he stepped away from the role in 2011.
Neil Dudgeon took over as the lead but in the role of DCI John Barnaby, Tom’s younger cousin, in 2011.
Nettles said he was “thrilled to hear that the exploits of those in Midsomer’s Badger’s Drift are being brought to the stage”.
Casting for the touring production is still to be announced.
After opening at Richmond Theatre, the show will travel across the UK, including to Blackpool Grand, Glasgow Theatre Royal and the Norwich Theatre Royal, before closing at the Curve Theatre in Leicester in April 2026.
Midsomer Murders: The Killings At Badger’s Drift will be directed by Unsworth, with design by David Woodhead, lighting design by Matt Haskins, sound design by Ella Wahlstrom and casting by Ginny Schiller CDG.
