It was in 2001 that the French public discovered the Inspector Barnaby series for the first time. For 25 seasons and 144 episodes, we can follow The Adventures of Inspector Barnaby. During the first 13 seasons, John Nettles played the role of Tom Barnaby, a grumpy police officer who escapes nothing. But after 14 years of good and loyal service, the inspector put away his badge to make way for Neil Dudgeon, who plays John Barnaby, Tom’s cousin in fiction.
In 2009, John Nettles spoke in the columns of Telegraph on his departure from the series. “I never imagined, when filming the pilot ‘The Killings at Badger’s Drift’ in 1996, that I would be involved in so many episodes. It was a real pleasure to be part of such a long-running series, with so many great actors and exciting storylines. But it’s the end of an era for me.” he indicated. Before adding: “It was a very difficult decision to make. (…) I have formed family ties with the people involved in the series and it will be difficult to break them. But it is always wiser to leave the public wanting more than to be booed because they were bored…
What has become of John Nettles since his departure from the Inspector Barnaby series?
If John Nettles wanted to maintain a good image by leaving the series, the actor also took advantage of this plot change to retire at age 68. Since then, the actor has appeared on screen only once, in 2016 in season 2 of the series Poldark. He then played the role of Ray Penvenen. And if the actor is done with filming, he still kept an activity during his retirement. Indeed, John Nettles wrote a historical work, as indicated TV-Leisure. The actor therefore concentrates on writing. Passionate about history, the actor has published several works over the years. In 1991, he revealed his autobiography, Nudity in a Public Place, in which he looks back on his beginnings and his career on television.
He then became more interested in the history of the Channel Islands, a region he knows well thanks to filming the series. Bergerac. He notably publishes John Nettles’ Jersey, dedicated to the island of Jersey, then Jewels and Jackboots in 2012, a historical book on the German occupation of the Channel Islands during the Second World War. The actor also signed My Favourite Stories of the Famous and Infamous from Jersey, a collection of anecdotes around the personalities and local history of Jersey. The latest news is that he lives in Evesham, England, with his second wife Cathryn, who married in 1995.
Does the new Inspector Barnaby also intend to abandon his role?
Si John Nettles a décidé de tirer sa révérence après 13 saisons, Neil Dudgeon does not intend to do the same. After 15 years of playing Inspector Barnaby, the actor confided in 2020 to Radio Timesthat he intended to stay as long as possible. “I have no intention of stopping. I don’t know what else I’ll do. I’m very lucky. It’s such a great show! (…) I think as long as ITV wants to produce it and people want to keep watching it, it will be a great show,” he explained. No worries for fans of the series, the actor has no plans to retire!
