Midsomer Murders has long been seen as one of Britain’s standout detective dramas, debuting on ITV in 1997. For nearly thirty years, viewers have followed a seasoned Detective Chief Inspector and his younger Sergeant as they solve grisly murders across the otherwise quiet villages of Midsomer County. The series began with John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby, who led the show until the character’s retirement in 2011, when he was succeeded by Tom’s younger cousin, DCI John Barnaby, played by Neil Dudgeon.
With the show due back on screens later this month, actor Dominic Colenso has reflected on his time in Midsomer Murders and explained why he ultimately walked away from the spotlight. Colenso appeared in the show’s first Christmas special, Ghosts of Christmas Past, which aired in 2004. He took on the role of Aidan Carter, described as “sex mad,” who features in a disturbing flashback linked to the suicide of his uncle Ferdy, played by Kevin Doyle, nine years earlier.
When another death strikes the same family, DCI Barnaby steps in to investigate, slowly unpicking the dark secrets that surround them.
Although the festive episode marked a memorable moment in his acting career, Colenso has since stepped away from film and TV. He has reinvented himself as a coach, TEDx speaker, podcast host of Why Life’s a Pitch, and an author.
Now working as a communications expert, he recalled the moment that pushed him toward a different path. Speaking to the Daily Express, he said he came to see that, as an actor, he had very little control over his career and wanted “other things” he could drive himself. That realisation led him into teaching.
He began teaching at the drama centre where he’d trained at the Guildford School of Acting and also spent some time teaching at RADA. A chance then came up to work with a business on storytelling. At first, he balanced this new direction with acting rather than quitting immediately, but over time the corporate work took over. He said he discovered he had an entrepreneurial streak and enjoyed building something of his own. More than fifteen years later, he’s still using the skills he honed as an actor, just in a different arena.
Despite moving on, Colenso looks back on Midsomer Murders with real affection. He described the show as a true British institution and said he feels lucky to have appeared in a Christmas episode, as it gets repeated constantly. Each December, from around the 3rd, he starts receiving texts and calls from friends and acquaintances telling him he’s back on TV. He believes it’s probably the piece of work most people recognise him from, simply because the series is so widely watched.
He also praised Bentley Productions, the company behind the show, calling it a traditional outfit that genuinely looked after everyone on set, from actors to crew. He said the episodes are cleverly written, allowing audiences to completely immerse themselves in the story as they try to stay one step ahead of Barnaby.
Talking about fan reactions to his character, Colenso admitted that people often ask him whether Aidan was responsible for “the deed.” His usual response is to apologise and insist he “couldn’t possibly comment,” telling them they’ll just have to watch the episode to find out.
