The Ballad if Midsomer County is the third episode of the seventeenth series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders and first aired 11th February 2015.
Synopsis[]
Could a ballad made famous by late, lamented folk singer Johnny Carver be an inspiration for murder? Did someone want to kill Toby Winning for threatening to take the Lower Crosby Folk Festival away from Midsomer – or is the true motive something hidden for 20 years?
Plot[]
Folk festival organizer Toby Winning is found dead, his head held down in a bowl of water also containing eels and boiled eggs. His estranged wife Alice seems unconcerned, unlike co-organizer Brian Grey, who, with Toby, had been planning to move the festival from Lower Crosby to London - to the annoyance of local businessmen including pub landlord Frank Wainwright and sound engineer Danny Carver. Danny is also angry when his daughter Melody takes to the stage playing the guitar once owned by his brother Johnny, a famous folk singer who shot himself. Visiting musician Jay Templeton seems keen to help Melody's career but was expecting something from Toby. Two more deaths follow, both in the manner of murders in a local folk song and to solve them Barnaby must discover the importance of Johnny's lost recording of the Ballad of Midsomer County.
Cast[]
- Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby
- Gwilym Lee as DS Charlie Nelson
- Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby
- Tamzin Malleson as Kate Wilding
- Dean Andrews as Tom Asher
- Clarke Peters as Frank Wainwright
- Claudie Blakley as Claire Asher (as Claudie Blakely)
- Sean Gilder as Danny Carver
- Lucie Jones as Melody Carver
- Rakie Ayola as Alice Winning
- Rosalind March as Liz Grey
- Daniel Brocklebank as Brian Grey
- Stephen Hagan as Jay Templeton
- Therese Bradley as Heather Carver
- Stuart St. Paul as Toby Winning
- Seth Lakeman as Johnny Carver (voice - uncredited)
- Richard Banks as Festival Goer (uncredited)
- Hannah Blamires as CID Officer (uncredited)
- Chris Cartwright as Festival Goer (uncredited)
- Chris Cowlin as CID Officer (uncredited)
- Anthony Farrelly as CID Officer (uncredited)
- John W.G. Harley as Man in Pub Garden (uncredited)
- Michael Haydon as Police Officer (uncredited)
- Shaun Lucas as Folk Festival Spectator (uncredited)
- Ricky Rajpal as Folk Festival Spectator (uncredited)
- Mick Slaney as Village Resident (uncredited)
- Anick Wiget as Folk Festival Spectator (uncredited)
- Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited)
- Brian Woodward as CID Officer (uncredited)
Galleries[]
Body Count[]
Prior to the Episode
Shot in the head with a pistol at close range and the scene was arranged to appear as suicide 25 years ago.
In the Episode
Drowned when his head was held from behind in a bowl of water containing eels and hard boiled eggs.
Lured to the stage with music played from the sound controller and crushed by a large stage speaker that was pushed. He then had roses put in his mouth.
Lured outside of his pub where he found a potted juniper tree and then was stabbed in the chest with an umbrella pole.
Body Count Notes[]
- The eggs, the live eels, the roses and the juniper tree are part of the lyrics of "The Ballad of Midsomer County", song written in the episode by Johnny Carver. The murderer not only inspired from the lyrics of the song to commit the killings, but also echoed the death of the first victim, Johnny.
Supporting Cast[]
Episode Images[]
Videos[]
Notes[]
The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes
- Shaun Lucas - Written in the Stars, The Incident at Cooper Hill, Crime and Punishment, Last Man Out and With Baited Breath
- John W.G. Harley - Let Us Prey, The Flying Club and A Vintage Murder
- Ricky Rajpal - The Dagger Club, Murder by Magic and A Vintage Murder
Quotes[]
| “ |
|
” |
| “ |
|
” |
| “ |
|
” |