The Wolf Hunter of Little Worthy is the first episode of the twenty second series of the popular ITV crime drama Midsomer Murders. Filming started in October 2020. It aired on 4 April 2021 on ITV.
Synopsis[]
Barnaby and Winter as they’re sent to Little Worthy, a town that recently ran a competition to create a modern urban myth, won by a struggling photographer with his creation of The Wolf Hunter. While the Wolf Hunter gains a cult following in the town and tourists arrive to catch a glimpse of the beast, Barnaby and Winter must investigate the murder of local handyman Jez and find out if this myth has become a deadly reality.
Plot[]
Around a campfire on the Yarrow Glamping Campsite, Pat Everett tells the story of the Wolf Hunter...Howling "I had a friend tell me about a friend of his, someone he knew really well. He saw The Wolf Hunter last week. In the flesh. Well... flesh and fur. Half man, half wolf. All trouble. Howling... You see, he lures us humanfolk into them woods out there, and he slashes at your face with his metal talons. Then he finishes you off with a silver bullet to the skull. ... Gunshot echoes.... Crows caw... "What a load of utter cobblers." (He laughs, all join in).
Brandon Yarrow, owner of the site, walks up.."Thank you for that, Mr Everett." To the other guests, "If I could just say sorry again about the hot tubs. I know the two of you were really hoping to use them this afternoon, but I am hoping to get them up and running. Maybe I could offer you a glass of prosecco..."
Rowan Yarrow walks around waving sage incense. Jez Gladberry tells Rowan he can't figure out what's wrong with the hot tub. Pat Everett says "I'll tell you what's wrong with that! It's a bleeding hot tub." Rowan says, "As advertised, Mr. Everett, this is a glampsite now. Everett says he's been coming here decades and never seen the like. "What's that smell?" Rowan says it is Sage- it gets rid of bad energy. Everett calls to his wife, Ronnie Everett, "She's doing witchcraft now."
Brandon comes up and tells Rowan that the other pair of campers are ok about the hot tub being broken. Jez gets a text and starts packing up some tools. He then goes to the woods. He has left his cell phone by the hot tub. Brandon Yarrow picks it up and looks at it.
MURDER 1: It is now nighttime. Dogs howling. Someone with a cane with a wolf head walks by. ...Growling..Jez hears a noise and says "Hello? Is that you mucking about?" A figure in a wolf mask with red eyes claws Jez and shoots him.
The next morning, Mel Wallace cycles up to her shop, The Hub, There is a sign with a wolf on it, "Little Worthy Wolf Hunter Urban Myth Evolution." Kelly Kirk-Lees says, "Please tell me you're late cos you finally got a life." Mel says, "I think the chances of me getting a life around here are pretty slim." That's why first sign of an acting job, and BOOM, I'm off," says Kelly. Wade Andow comes up behind her in a wolf mask. He invites her to come to the woods. She declines. Kelly says, "So I've sent off my self tape for that audition, and I've narrowed down my list of agents. So fingers crossed, I'll be out from under your feet in no time.. You'll miss me when I'm gone." Mel and Kelly set up the room, which is an Internet Cafe.
Wade goes off riding a dirt bike in the woods. Then he sees Jez Gladberry's dead body.
DCI John Barnaby carves a pumpkin on his kitchen table. He says he is not a big fan of trick or treating so can't he just help with eating the sweets? It's to raise money for the school says his wife, Sarah Barnaby as she removes Halloween outfits from a box. Sarah says "she is going to dress as a witch." Barnaby snickers. Barnaby says he will go as "someone befitting a man of my status, so, um, distinguished, stately, imposing." Sarah pulls out a Little Red Riding Hood outfit. Barnaby grins and says "Ooh, you found it!" His phone rings.
At the crime scene, Pathologist, Fleur Perkins tells Barnaby and DS Jamie Winter that "the victim's Jez Gladberry, in his 20s. A local handyman and blacksmith. Next-of-kin's his father, he's been informed." Wade Andow found the body when he was riding his dirt bike in the woods. Boot prints, not the victim's. Heavy boots, by the look of it. And... canine prints. If pressed, I'd say wolf. Not a real one, obviously. Unless, of course, it's a wolf with one leg." "The impression from the base of the cane, right?" says Winter. "Exactly. Claw marks across the chest, puncture wounds to the neck, and a bullet to the head," "Silver?" asks Winter. Fleur says "Smart money says so. Time of death, last night between eight and ten." Barnaby says, "I'm sorry, what are you both talking about? Are you saying this man was killed by a wolf with a gun?" Winter explains, "The Wolf Hunter, actually. It's all part of a meme. Sort of an idea spread through social media and the internet. In this case, The Wolf Hunter. Little Worthy ran a competition, the idea was to create a Midsomer urban myth and The Wolf Hunter won it. It's really taken off. He wears a wolf mask, he carries a cane with a wolf's paw at its base, and a gun with a silver bullet. His hands have metal claws, and he lures people to their death. It's a lot like what we're seeing here, sir." The Hub ran the competition. It's an internet cafe in the village hall."
On the other side of the woods, Barnaby noticed a campsite. Winter tells him it is actually a glampsite.
Eric Gladberry walks into the pub, "The Lamb" using his cane, which features a wolf handle. Bartender, Annie Davids tells him she heard about his son Jez' death. Annie gets him a drink.
Pat Everett sits in front of his camper with binoculars and laughs at Brandon trying to fix the hot tub. "Oh, it's top-notch entertainment, is this. Come and have a look, Robbie. Better than your la-dee-da treatments." His wife, Ronnie says, "Actually, love, I rather like the look of this one. Steam sauna followed by a hot stone massage." Pat is aghast at the cost- 40 quid.
Barnaby asks Mel Wallace if she knew Jez Gladberry. She says of course she knows him. He has a workshop just down the block. In The Hub, everyone is talking about the death. Barnaby asks Wade if he posted news about the death this morning. Mel introduces Josie Skelton who is the expert about the Wolf Hunter website. The Hub provides internet connectivity to the area. Barnaby asks about the exhibition, and Mel shows him.
Meanwhile, Winter asks Rowan and Brandon what they know. "He got a text and headed towards the woods, but the village is over that way," says Rowan. Winter says, "So he had his phone with him? He didn't when we found him." "Well, maybe he dropped it on the way." says Brandon. Pat comes up and tells Winter the Yarrows were having a little Barney. Trouble in paradise.
Winter goes over to Pat's camper. He and his wife have been coming to the campsite for 36 years with no trouble. This year there are all kinds of newfangled gadgets- "total mess." Pat says. "Drives Rowan's mum, Annie, mad. She runs the pub." Ronnie offers Winter a piece of cake and he says no thank you. Pat stares at him until he takes a piece. Pat thinks the Yarrow's were arguing about Jez, who came to fix the hot tub again.
In the Wolf Hunter exhibition, there is a statue of a figure with a wolf mask, claws and gun. Barnaby tells Mel that forensics will have to check everything. Jez made all the artifacts. Steve Skelton is a local photographer with a display of photos. The competition was Mel's and Steve won it. Mel describes the Wolf Hunter as "a loner caught between worlds." Steve says, "A sort of Jekyll and Hyde werewolf with a steampunk twist." People come from miles away to see the exhibition. Barnaby asks what the deal is with the red eyes? They appear above the door for the Wolf Hunter's next victim. At Jez Gladberry's place, there are eyes above his sign.
Brandon retrieves a package wrapped in plastic. Winter follows him. Someone wearing black gloves pulls a hatchett off of a wall. Ronnie waits until Pat is asleep and then goes off to a sauna in her bathrobe. Rowan is waiting for her and gives her towels. Brandon goes to throw something in the river. The figure with the hatchett breaks the temperature control device on the outside of the sauna. Ronnie calls for help and bangs on the door. Then her voice fades away.
At the glampsite, Ronnie sits in the back of an ambulance. Winter tells Barnaby that the door to the sauna locked shut. Someone sabotaged the electrics. Ronnie was trapped inside.
Brandon and Rowan are upset that someone is targeting the glampsite. Rowan tells Ronnie and Pat that they will put them up in the lodge. Winter asks Brandon why he was trying to toss Gladberry's phone in the river. Barnaby asks Brandon about his argument with Rowan. "Is that why you had Jez's phone? Because you were suspicious of Jez and your wife?" Brandon says Jez left the phone so he picked it up.
At the pub, Barnaby and Winter talk to Annie Davids. She confirms that Brandon was in the pub last night. She does not get along with her son-in-law, Brandon. She says, "This is a traditional pub in a traditional village. Or it was before that cafe arrived. And before my daughter got all doolally, New Age, trendy, lefty, pinko, liberal, glamping mad." Annie isn't a fan of the Internet cafe or the Wolf Hunter hokum. She says Mel and Steve should be shot for encouraging the whole thing. Steve used to work at the pub and left on bad terms.
Pat Everett comes in the pub and requests a pint. Robbie comes in also. Annie asks Pat if he's had any luck with his searches. Pat asks Annie how it's going with the numbers for the Aunt Sally team.
At The Hub, Kelly asks Josie Skelton why she is working the Wolf Hunter website. Josie says she is trying to keep on top of everything. Kelly says someone killed Jez- "you do realize that don't you?" She pulls the plug out of Josie's computer. Wade whistles and says "oooh, catfight." Kelly says "What are you doing pretending you can write, anyway?" Mel comes in and asks what is going on. Kelly says, "I've had enough of The Wolf Hunter, I've had enough of this place, I've had enough of everything. Gotta get out of here for good." Mel tries to soothe her.
Winter tells Barnaby, "The Yarrows' financials are back, they are definitely struggling. Brandon gave up his job in marketing to follow his wife's dreams. Strangely enough, we're not the only ones looking into the Yarrows. Pat Everett has been making enquiries. Maybe he's trying to push them out." Barnaby tells Winter to check out Mel Wallace and Steve Skelton. And get a tech team over to the cafe. Fleur comes in and tells them that the wolf cane had a broken toe.
Winter goes over to the Gladberry shop and looks around. He finds a photo of Kelly in a book on Jez's workbench. At Wade's camper, a wolf mask falls out of the camper.
Barnaby goes to talk to Eric Gladberry. He is outside in front of his windmill painting. Eric says Jez was seeing someone. He says that booze has "got a grip" on him. He shows Barnaby his wolf cane. Jez made it for him. It doesn't have a broken toe on the bottom.
Winter says, "Tech got back to me about Jez's call history. Yesterday, the same number called him 11 times and texted to meet in the woods last night. And that phone belongs to...? Kelly Kirk-Lees."
Kelly says she didn't go near the woods last night. She shows them her phone. Winter gets a call. There are red wolf eyes painted on a door. It's Kelly and Josie's.
At the glampsite, Ronnie wakes up from sleeping in the lodge. Best sleep she's had in ages, she says. She gets ready to go on a walk.
At Kelly's house, Josie comes in scared. "We'll be next." Kelly says it's just Wade Andow mucking about. Barnaby will have police posted at their house.
Winter says "Sir? The post about Jez's death was sent from one of the computers in the cafe. By someone calling themselves "The Wolf Slasher". Barnaby tells Winter to have the boots outside Kelly's house checked out by tech.
At The Hub, Mel says she has no idea who the wolf slasher is. When The Hub is open, anyone can use the computer. At Steve's place, Barnaby looks around. No one is there. He sees a flyer about the Wolf Hunter competition and asks about the cash prize. Mel says she paid for that. She says she and Steve are just friends. "I'm not one to take chances on the roulette wheel of love." Mel tells Barnaby that "Annie is best friends with Steve's ex, Rachel. Annie encouraged Rachel to dump Steve and do a runner, leaving him with all this debt and Josie to look out for. It's been a real struggle. But he's tried his best."
Ronnie goes for a walk. She comes to a cottage in the woods.
Barnaby says Steve Skelton is most likely to have posted the news about Jez's death to create an atmosphere of fear and paranoia. Fleur says that the boots that match the footprints in the woods are Kelly's.
That evening, at Kelly's house, flatmate, Josie goes around looking for her. She sees her go out the back door. The policeman is posted on the street outside the front door.
MURDER 2: The Wolf Hunter is following Kelly. Josie follows behind. Kelly goes in a gateway. The Wolf Hunter comes along behind. Josie hears a noise...Howling...Winter's headlights pick up the wolf hunter standing in the middle of the street. He hears a voice yell no, a scream and a gunshot... Kelly is dead in a graveyard with a funeral wreath on her head. In her rucksack, there was cash and clothes. Looked like she was leaving the village.
Steve says "I was trying to stage some shots of The Wolf Hunter. The camera was on a timer, I was walking in front of it for a shot when your headlights turned on me." He was hoping to sell photos of the Wolf Hunter. He is doing all of it for money and to get his ex-wife back. Josie says Jez and Kelly were new but were talking about moving in together.
At the lodge, Ronnie tells Pat Everett that he slept in. Ronnie tells him she thinks this has to be the last year they come to the campsite.
At the Barnaby house, Sarah says she spent half the night reading the kids' local history projects. The Wolf Hunter was "abandoned as a child by his family. Left in the woods on the night of the full moon." Abandoned because "the wolves were closing in and his family fled. Then the wolves brought him up. The Wolf Hunter is torn between loving and hating both of his families." Sarah tells Barnaby that Wade Andor was a pupil at her school and they had to let him go. "He lashed out at a teacher he thought was looking down on him. He was very sensitive boy, with a really bad attitude. It was such a shame. He was talented. He showed real potential as an artist."
Winter goes to Jez's workshop and finds it broken into. He finds a gun.
Barnaby goes to talk to Mel. She tells him that she has sort of always known Kelly. "I came here 18 years ago, that was the summer that she was born. And then a few years ago, she just swung into the cafe demanding a job." Kelly always talked of going to London. She dreamt of bigger things than Little Worthy. She loved Jez to bits. Kelly didn't get along with Rowan Yarrow. She didn't like the New-Age-y stuff and she thought Rowan was after Jez.
Winter reports to Barnaby that someone broke into Jez Gladberry's workshop and he thinks they took bolt cutters.
At the glampsite, Rowan is setting out stones. Barnaby asks if she knew Jez was seeing Kelly? Rowan says he confided in her and was stressed about his father, life, love. Rowan has the impression that Jez was seeing someone else apart from Kelly. Barnaby asks if Rowan was fond of Jez and jealous of the relationship with Kelly.
At Eric Gladberry's place, Eric tells Wade he needs to do one "more."
The Battle of Aunt Sally is going on in the village. {Aunt Sally is a traditional English game, played in pub grounds where players throw sticks or battens at a ball, known as a 'dolly', balanced on top of a stick. In this case it is a wolf doll."} Brandon and Rowan come up to talk to Annie. Business is not going well. Annie says she told them so.
"Pat Everett has been contacting the property companies in the area," says Winter. Pat is a "self-made man. He's been coming here for years. His wife goes off for walks on her own." Pat invites Barnaby, Winter and Fleur to play Aunt Sally. Fleur hits the little wolf off the pole. It's all about technique, she says. Pat gives the trophy to Annie.
Fleur says that Kelly was killed with a silver bullet. She also says that Josie Skelton's blog about the Wolf Hunter uses the same phrasing used by the Wolf Slasher.
In The Hub, Mel and Steve hear some clanking. Josie is pulling down things in the exhibition. She tells her dad she has had enough. It's gone too far! Steve says he has put a lot of work into this to get her mum back. Josie tells him her mom "is never coming back. She doesn't want to be here with you."
Pat is messing around with the hot tub. Ronnie says she is "Popping out. Seeing as we're off tomorrow and maybe aren't coming back, this could be the last time." Pat joins her.
Barnaby shows up at The Hub. It is empty. In the back, Mel and Josie are packing up the exhibition things. He asks Josie about how her blog and the Wolf Slasher have the same line. Josie found Jez's body and posted about it online. She has a set of keys from her dad.
Pat and Ronnie arrive at the cottage. Pat says, "Tragic. Seeing it go to ruination."
Barnaby confronts Eric Gladberry about using Wade for sabotaging the glampsite. Eric says he wants the place GONE! It blocks his view. Wade is at the Glampsite cutting the chain to a treehouse with bolt cutters. Winter gets there in time to stop Rowan from going up into the treehouse. Wade races off on his motorbike. Winter chases after him and Barnaby pulls up in front of him with the car. Wade says Eric wants the glampsite shut down. Eric has been good to him and took him under his wing.
Pat and Ronnie are in the hot tub. Pat fixed it. Pat says, "It were just your flange and sprocket mechanism. And your widget needed unblocking. Pumps. That's where I made my money. That angel investor you've been in touch with. You're looking at him. I only invest in the best, that's why I were testing you. I love Ronnie, and I love it round here. We were going to move here permanently, but we've changed our mind." Ronnie says, "It's just time for us to move on."
Winter says "I checked the properties that the Everetts have been looking at. It's Daisy Cottage. It's been empty for years. The previous owners used it as a rental property. Maybe they stayed there once."
Fleur reports that the photos are back of Mr. Skelton's film. It shows another Wolf Hunter. The wolf hunter has a consistent limp. Barnaby goes to speak to Mr. Gladberry. Wade has been charged with trying to sabotage Yarrow Glamping as Mr. Gladberry will be. Eric says that he is missing a pair of boots.
Annie tells Barnaby that the Everetts are leaving. Barnaby notices a photograph on the wall of the pub. Annie tells him that the cottage in the woods- The Everetts stayed there the first time, the entire summer. We thought they'd be back next time with a little 'un. But they weren't. We thought they'd lost the child, didn't really like to ask."
Pat and Ronnie go by The Hub to say goodbye to Mel. Pat says, "We thought we could hack it, but it's not to be. Me and that Brandon are chalk and cheese, so we won't be coming back." Ronnie says, "We wanted to give you just a little present to say thank you for all the cups of tea over the years," Ronnie gives Mel a book. Inside is a postcard with the cottage on the front. "The book is Poems from Little Worthy."
At the Glamping site, Rowan sees wolf eyes on the sign. Rowan says she doesn't know where Brandon is.
Barnaby asks the Everett's why they keep coming back to the campsite. Ronnie says they had a baby, but they lost her and then couldn't have anymore. They gave her up to adoption. They left the baby with a postcard but no other details for tracking them down. They were young, from strict Catholic backgrounds, and didn't know if they would stay together. They've given up hope of finding their baby. They have told everyone they are leaving and gave the glampsite as the reason for leaving.
Brandon is tied to a pole and the Wolf Hunter has poured fuel on his feet. Winter and Barnaby arrive and Barnaby asks the Wolf Hunter "You said you weren't one for taking chances on the roulette wheel of love. But you did, didn't you? You took a chance and you lost?" Mel takes off her mask and says, she never had a family. She was always on your own. Until she let Jez in, and Kelly. "Jez was gonna leave, and I couldn't have that. I can't bear to be left. We had a year. I finally let someone in who I could trust. Or so I thought," says Mel. Barnaby asks, why be the Wolf Hunter? "Because, like him, I was left in the wilderness. Abandoned." As soon as she was 18, she looked for her parents. "But the records didn't exist, just some money and a postcard of this place, so I came here and I secretly bought the cottage." She knows who her parents are now. "Abandoning me again. Only this time, it's his fault they're leaving." She turns and points the gun at Brandon. "Why don't you see them? Speak to them? Meet them?" asks Barnaby. "Because I've done wrong! I can't bear the thought of them knowing that. Why didn't you make them stay?" She turns the gun on Brandon. "I must have been so bad for them to leave me. I must've been, otherwise why would they give me up?" says Mel.
Ronnie and Pat walk up. "Because we were young. We cared too much what other people would think. We didn't know any better. We let you down." Ronnie says, "I don't care what you've done. You're my flesh and blood. Whatever happens after this, I will never leave you again." Pat says, "Nor me. Mel. My little Melanie." The three hug.
Later, Brandon tells Winter that Pat's decided to help out with the glamping site, "Mum and Dad have said they'll chip in. The Everetts, are they going to stay on in the cottage. To be here for Mel."
Barnaby is in the hot tub. Sarah says once your muscles have relaxed, perhaps you'd like to try the "Shakti Mat. It's a bed of nails, darling." says Sarah. Fleur says how about Garuda Therapy? Where they put leeches all over you. Paddy jumps into the hot tub.
Cast[]
- Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby
- Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter
- Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby
- Annette Badland as Fleur Perkins
- Mark Williams as Pat Everett
- Ferdinand Kingsley as Brandon Yarrow
- Maimie McCoy as Rowan Yarrow
- Kojo Attah as Jez Gladberry
- Siobhan Redmond as Ronnie Everett
- Poppy Gilbert as Kelly Kirk-Lees
- Sinead Matthews as Mel Wallace
- Kadell Herida as Wade Andow
- Brian Bovell as Eric Gladberry
- Louise Jameson as Annie Davids
- Molly Harris as Josie Skelton
- Matt McCooey as Steve Skelton
- Darryl Bradford as Hub Cafe User (uncredited)
- Lee Byford as Police Officer (uncredited)
- Ruth Horrocks as CID (uncredited)
- Martin Johnson as Chess Player in Pub (uncredited)
- Michael Kavanagh as Aunt Sally Player (uncredited)
- Raju Ladwa as Hub Cafe User (uncredited)
- Vina Ladwa as Hub Cafe User (uncredited)
- Bharat Mistri as Aunt Sally Attendee (uncredited)
- Harsha Mistri as Aunt Sally Attendee (uncredited)
- Jon Ranwell as Glamping Site Investor (uncredited)
- Lindsay Townley as Soco (uncredited)
- Chris Wilson as Police Officer (uncredited)
Galleries[]
Body Count[]
Prior to the Episode
Died from an illness one year ago.
In the Episode
Lured to the woods, slashed with the Wolf Hunter's metal claws and shot in the head with a pistol.
Slashed with the Wolf Hunter's metal claws and shot in the head with a pistol in the graveyard. She was then propped against a cross and had a funeral wreath placed over her body.
Supporting Cast[]
Episode Images[]
Arrests[]
- Mel Wallace for the murder of Jez Gladberry and Kelly Kirk-Lees and the attempted murder of Brandon Yarrow.
- Eric Gladberry and Wade Andow for sabotaging the glamping site.
Notes[]
The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes
Trivia[]
The trials and tribulations of Jamie Winter: Barnaby to Winter, "It's early and we've been up all night, so I'll pop home and you can hold the fort here".
This is the second time where the game of Aunt Sally is featured. The first time was in Dark Autumn.
- Ironically, in both episodes a main character shows that he/she is very skilled at that game after another main character/characters failed prior. If in Dark Autumn it was Tom Barnaby, in this episode Fleur Perkins steals the show.
In one scene, Sarah gives John a newspaper featuring Wade Andow talking about finding the first body. The newspaper is an issue of "Midsomer Mercury", a newspaper which was heavily featured in the episode Written in the Stars.
There is a street sign in Little Worthy which has has the following points of interest: "Church/The Hub", "Little Worthy Woods", "Yarrow Glamping Site" and "Badger's Drift/Causton".
This is the second time people have been murdered in Little Worthy.
- 1st was Small Mercies
- 2nd - The Wolf Hunter of Little Worthy