The Village Murder CasebookAn unofficial Midsomer Murders guide

Cast spotting desk

Guest-star A–Z.

From established stage greats to actors seen before their biggest roles: search 23 memorable appearances across both Barnaby eras.

Two empty leather chairs and contrasting case notebooks on a rural detective desk at dusk
23selected guest actors
19episodes represented
2Barnaby eras

23 notable appearances shown

Comedian and actor Bill Bailey in 2010
Photo: Billy McKechnie · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
BSeries 20 · 2018

Bill Bailey

Black Books · Strictly Come Dancing

Played
Darwin Chipping
Case
Drawing Dead
Open actor profile →
Actor David Bradley at a public event in 2025
Photo: Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
DSeries 7 · 2003

David Bradley

Harry Potter · Game of Thrones

Played
Tom
Case
The Green Man
Open actor profile →
No freely reusable portrait located. A rights-cleared photograph can be added later.
ESeries 1 · 1997

Elizabeth Spriggs

Sense and Sensibility · Harry Potter

Played
Iris Rainbird
Case
The Killings at Badger's Drift
Open actor profile →
Actor Emily Mortimer at the Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Josh Jensen · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
ESeries 1 · 1997

Emily Mortimer

The Newsroom · Mary Poppins Returns

Played
Katherine Lacey
Case
The Killings at Badger's Drift
Open actor profile →
Actor Hayley Mills in a 1960 portrait
Photo: Dell Publishing · Public domain in the United States · displayed with a layout crop
HSeries 16 · 2014

Hayley Mills

Pollyanna · The Parent Trap

Played
Lizzy Thornfield
Case
Wild Harvest
Open actor profile →
Actor Henry Cavill at a public event
Photo: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
HSeries 7 · 2003

Henry Cavill

Man of Steel · The Witcher

Played
Simon Mayfield
Case
The Green Man
Open actor profile →
Actor Honor Blackman in 2000
Photo: John Mathew Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
HSeries 6 · 2003

Honor Blackman

The Avengers · Goldfinger

Played
Isobel Hewitt
Case
A Talent for Life
Open actor profile →
Actor Hugh Bonneville
Photo: Julienmorvan · Public domain · displayed with a layout crop
HSeries 5 · 2002

Hugh Bonneville

Downton Abbey · Paddington

Played
Hugh Barton
Case
Ring Out Your Dead
Open actor profile →
Actor Imelda Staunton in 2011
Photo: Gordon Correll · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
ISeries 2 · 1999

Imelda Staunton

Vera Drake · The Crown

Played
Christine Cooper
Case
Dead Man's Eleven
Open actor profile →
Actor Jenny Agutter in 2022
Photo: IDMacpherson1964 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · displayed with a layout crop
JSeries 12 · 2009

Jenny Agutter

The Railway Children · Call the Midwife

Played
Lady Isobel Chettham
Case
The Creeper
Open actor profile →
Actor Jim Carter at a public event in 2012
Photo: MingleMedia.TV · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
JSeries 7 · 2004

Jim Carter

Downton Abbey · Shakespeare in Love

Played
Nathan Green
Case
The Fisher King
Open actor profile →
Actor Martine McCutcheon in 2010
Photo: USP Content · CC BY 3.0 · displayed with a layout crop
MSeries 15 · 2013

Martine McCutcheon

EastEnders · Love Actually

Played
Debbie Moffett
Case
Schooled in Murder
Open actor profile →
Actor Olivia Colman at the 2022 BFI London Film Festival
Photo: Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
OSeries 12 · 2009

Olivia Colman

The Favourite · Broadchurch

Played
Bernice
Case
Small Mercies
Open actor profile →
Actor Orlando Bloom at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Photo: Kevin Payravi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · displayed with a layout crop
OSeries 3 · 2000

Orlando Bloom

The Lord of the Rings · Pirates of the Caribbean

Played
Peter Drinkwater
Case
Judgement Day
Open actor profile →
Actor Peter Capaldi at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2019
Photo: Super Festivals · CC BY 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
PSeries 9 · 2006

Peter Capaldi

Doctor Who · The Thick of It

Played
Laurence Barker
Case
Death in Chorus
Open actor profile →
Actor Prunella Scales in 2010
Photo: John Thaxter · CC0 1.0 · displayed with a layout crop
PSeries 3 · 2000

Prunella Scales

Fawlty Towers · A Question of Attribution

Played
Eleanor Bunsall
Case
Beyond the Grave
Open actor profile →
Actor Richard Briers in 2009
Photo: Andy Mabbett · CC BY-SA 3.0 · displayed with a layout crop
RSeries 2 · 1999

Richard Briers

The Good Life · Ever Decreasing Circles

Played
Reverend Stephen Wentworth
Case
Death's Shadow
Open actor profile →
No freely reusable portrait located. A rights-cleared photograph can be added later.
RSeries 12 · 2009

Rik Mayall

The Young Ones · Bottom

Played
David Roper
Case
The Creeper
Open actor profile →
No freely reusable portrait located. A rights-cleared photograph can be added later.
RSeries 2 · 1999

Robert Hardy

All Creatures Great and Small · Harry Potter

Played
Robert Cavendish
Case
Dead Man's Eleven
Open actor profile →
Actor and writer Ruth Jones
Photo: Ruth Jones image contributor · See source page · displayed with a layout crop
RSeries 7 · 2004

Ruth Jones

Gavin & Stacey · Stella

Played
Rachael Rose
Case
Bad Tidings
Open actor profile →
Actor Samantha Bond in 2004
Photo: The Murder Room production · CC BY 3.0 · displayed with a layout crop
SSeries 4 · 2001

Samantha Bond

GoldenEye · Downton Abbey

Played
Suzanna Chambers
Case
Destroying Angel
Open actor profile →
Actor Tim McInnerny in 2006
Photo: eye4images · CC BY-SA 2.0 · displayed with a layout crop
TSeries 13 · 2010

Tim McInnerny

Blackadder · Notting Hill

Played
Hugh Dalgleish
Case
The Sword of Guillaume
Open actor profile →
Actor Tom Ellis at a convention in 2022
Photo: France – Roster Con · CC BY-SA 4.0 · displayed with a layout crop
TSeries 8 · 2005

Tom Ellis

Lucifer · Miranda

Played
Lee Smeeton
Case
Midsomer Rhapsody
Open actor profile →

Credit trail

How names enter the file.

Episode credits and cast listings are checked before an appearance is added. The “known for” line is orientation, not a ranking of anyone's career.