Did you spot this Oscar-winning star on Midsomer Murders?

Publish date: 2024-09-18

Midsomer Murders is currently being shown on ITV3

Midsomer Murders has had some impressive guest stars over the years, with Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville, Hollywood film star Orlando Bloom and Superman himself Henry Cavill all making guest appearances. 

MORE: 13 shows to watch if you love Midsomer Murders

However, the village of Little Worth has also welcomed acting royalty, as Oscar-winning star Olivia Colman made an appearance in series 12 back in 2009 - ten years before she wowed audiences with her performance in and took home the gong for Best Actress!

In the show, Olivia played Bernice, the girlfriend of a local hotel owner Edward Palfrey. In the episode, the victim, Richard Tanner, is found dead in a model village and tied like Gulliver in. 

WATCH: Olivia Colman films inside beautiful family home

He had a tense family life having had romantic entanglements with different women, and after two more people were murdered, it is eventually revealed Bernice murdered Richard after he didn't pay due respect to her beloved model village. Naturally. It is also alluded to that Bernice killed her adoptive mother before she descended on Midsomer. 

MORE: Everything you need to know about Olivia Colman's husband and children

MORE: Olivia Colman's home is ultimate interiors inspo

Olivia has since gone on to enjoy worldwide stardom, and followed up her Oscar-winning performance with roles in and BBC One's adaptation of Les Misérables, where she played Madame Thénardier. She also played the Queen in seasons three and four before being replaced by Imelda Staunton for a fifth and final series. 

Olivia starred on the show back in 2009 - ten years before she landed her Oscar

MORE: The real reason why John Nettles left Midsomer Murders

Speaking about ending the show on season five, the series' creator Peter Morgan told "I feel uncomfortable writing about events within a certain time period. I think there's a certain amount of time within which, if you write about it, what you do instantly becomes journalistic because it's too close to the moment. 

"If you wait a certain amount of time, if you allow fifteen or twenty years, basically a generation, between you and [the events] then you can write about it somewhat freely as drama."

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