Midsomer Murders producer suspended over 'no ethnic minorities' comments

Midsomer Murders producer suspended over 'no ethnic minorities' comments

Brian True-May, the producer and co-creator of ITV1 drama series Midsomer Murders, has been suspended by production company All3Media following controversial comments made about the show in the latest issue of Radio Times.

True-May told RT, "We don't have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn't be the English village with them. It just wouldn't work. Suddenly we might be in Slough… And if you went in to Slough you wouldn't see a white face there. We're the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way."

The ever-popular Midsomer Murders returns with a new series, and a new DCI Barnaby, next week (Wednesday, ITV1) but True-May said there was one thing he wouldn't be changing - there will be no ethnic minorities in Midsomer.

"I'm trying to make something that appeals to a certain audience, which seems to succeed," said True-May. "And I don't want to change it."

Following the revelations, an ITV spokesman said: "We are shocked and appalled at these personal comments by Brian True-May, which are absolutely not shared by anyone at ITV.

"We are in urgent discussions with All3Media, the producer of Midsomer Murders, who have informed us that they have launched an immediate investigation into the matter and have suspended Mr True-May pending the outcome."

With the departure of John Nettles's DCI Barnaby at the end of the last series, Neil Dudgeon's character - same rank, same name (he's the cousin of the original Barnaby) - is the new officer in charge of investigating the bloody crimes that take place in and around the murder capital of Middle England.

But, murder aside, he'll be policing a rather parochial parish. Along with black and Asian characters, True-May has banned swearing, graphic violence and sex scenes from Midsomer.