In 2001, French audiences discovered the Inspector Barnaby series for the first time. Over 25 seasons and 144 episodes, we can follow the adventures of Inspector Barnaby. For the first 13 seasons, John Nettles played the role of Tom Barnaby, a grumpy policeman who misses nothing. But after 14 years of loyal service, the inspector handed over his badge to make way for Neil Dudgeon, who plays John Barnaby, Tom’s cousin in the show.
In 2009, John Nettles opened up about his departure from the series in an interview with the Telegraph. “I never imagined, during the filming of the pilot ‘The Killings at Badger’s Drift’ in 1996, that I would be part of so many episodes. It was a real pleasure to be part of such a long-running series, with so many excellent actors and intriguing plots. But it’s the end of an era for me,” he said. Adding, “It was a very difficult decision to make. (…) I formed family ties with the people involved in the series and it will be hard to break them. But it is always wiser to leave the audience wanting more than to be booed because they were bored.”
Context:
John Nettles played Inspector Barnaby for 13 seasons before retiring from the series.
Fact Check:
John Nettles reflected on his departure from the Inspector Barnaby series in 2009.
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Que devient John Nettles depuis son départ de la série Inspecteur Barnaby
If John Nettles wanted to preserve a good image when leaving the series, the actor also took advantage of this narrative change to retire at 68. Since then, the actor has only appeared on screen once, in 2016 in Season 2 of the series Poldark. He played the role of Ray Penvenen. Despite ending his acting career, John Nettles stayed active during retirement. He has written a historical book, as reported by Télé-Loisirs. The actor is now focusing on writing. With a passion for history, he has published several books over the years. In 1991, he released his autobiography, “Nudity in a Public Place,” which delves into his beginnings and television career.
He then became more interested in the history of the Channel Islands, a region he knows well from filming the series Bergerac. He published “John Nettles’ Jersey,” dedicated to Jersey’s role, and “Jewels and Jackboots” in 2012, a historical book on the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II. The actor also authored “My Favourite Stories of the Famous and Infamous from Jersey,” a collection of anecdotes about personalities and local history in Jersey. As of the latest updates, he lives in Evesham, England, with his second wife Cathryn, whom he married in 1995.
Le nouvel inspecteur Barnaby compte-t-il lui aussi abandonner son rôle ?
While John Nettles decided to retire after 13 seasons, Neil Dudgeon, on the other hand, does not plan to do the same. After 15 years playing Inspector Barnaby, the actor mentioned in 2020 to Radio Times that he intends to stay for as long as possible. “I have no intention of stopping. I don’t know what else I would do. I am very lucky. It’s such a great series! (…) I think as long as ITV wants to produce it and people want to keep watching it, it will be a fantastic series,” he explained. Fans of the series need not worry, as the actor has no plans to retire!
