How many murders have there been in Midsomer Murders?-Caroline Westbrook-Entertainment – Metro

Midsomer Murders has a pretty high body count (Picture: ITV)

It’s hard to believe it, but Midsomer Murders is celebrating its 25th anniversary, having become a small screen staple since it first aired in 1997.

The ITV detective drama – which stars Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby, the actor having taken over from previous star John Nettles – has reached its 22nd season, with the fictional county of Midsomer where it is set looking no less deadly.

In fact, it’s not escaped the notice of the viewers that Midsomer has a pretty high homicide rate for somewhere so small and picturesque.

Just how many characters have lost their lives in the show over the years…?

How many murders have there been in Midsomer Murders?

According to Midsomer’s Wiki page, the series has notched up a pretty high body count over the past 25 years – with no less than 395 murders across the first 126 episodes.

With another six having been made since then, that figure has risen to over 400..

But that’s not all. The site estimates that the series has given us 581 deaths in total, as well as an addition 164 attempted murders or suicides.

The Scarecrow Murders is among new episodes coming to us in series 22 (Picture: ITV)

Of the above, we’ve actually seen 337 of the murders played out onscreen, and 160 of the attempts.

All of which makes Midsomer a pretty deadly place to live.

It was estimated by MyLondon that the murder rate in the county, including historic crimes not seen on the show, would come out at around 37 per 100,000 people across the course of its run – which, if it were a real place, would make it the fifth most deadly place to live in England and Wales.

Of course given the high death rate on the series, you might be left wondering why anyone would want to live there at all.

And there is no shortage of inventive deaths – such as Martine McCutcheon playing a character crushed to death by a wheel of cheese, or a character being electrocuted by a roulette wheel.

Which episode features the most murders?

On average, there are around five deaths in every episode of Midsomer Murders – but some are bloodier than others.

The episode Four Funerals and Wedding, however, which aired in September 2006, has been singled out, with a body count of 27 victims.

However, only 15 of these were actually seen on screen, with the other 12 coming from historic crimes.

In terms of actual murders on screen that honour belongs to Series 11 opener Shot At Dawn – which features no less than 17, but only 18 deaths in total.

Either way that’s a whole lot of carnage for one TV show.

Midsomer Murders: 25 Years Of Mayhem is on ITV on Sunday night at 7pm, while Midsomer Murders is on at 8pm.

MORE : Cottage featured in Midsomer Murders goes on sale for £950,000

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