Midsomer Murders' Neil Dudgeon 'replacement' tipped as Only Fools and Horses icon

Nicholas Lyndhurst, widely recognised for his portrayal of Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, has emerged as one of the leading candidates to succeed Neil Dudgeon on the hit ITV show Midsomer Murders, bookies have predicted. Despite Neil not signalling an intention to depart just yet, rumours surfaced following his comments about being "cancelled".

Nicholas shares 20/1 odds with Martin Clunes for the coveted position. Other celebrated actors like Ralf Little of Death in Paradise fame, and Vera's Kenny Doughty are also in contention, Betway suggests.

Chad Yeomans, spokesperson for Betway, disclosed the latest figures, stating: "We make the ex-Vera star Kenny Doughty the favourite at 4/1 to replace Neil Dudgeon should he ever stand down as DCI John Barnaby. Next in the betting comes Death in Paradise star Ralf Little at 5/1, who was hugely popular in his role as DI Neville Parker before his surprise departure from the show earlier this year."

He continued: "Rounding out the top three in the betting market is Daniel Casey at 6/1, who our traders think could be in line to make a return to Causton as the main character! Or could the legendary John Nettles at 80/1, who recently turned down a cameo role in a proposed remake of Bergerac, be tempted to play the famous detective chief inspector one more time?" reports the Mirror.

After Only Fools and Horses concluded, Nicholas Lyndhurst continued to grace television screens with appearances in several TV dramas.

The actor has made a dramatic move from the UK to Hollywood, swapping his British roots for a slice of American fame as he joins the cast of the much-anticipated Frasier reboot, playing Alan Cornwall.

Midsomer Murders enthusiasts have been buzzing with speculation about who might take up the mantle from Neil Dudgeon as the iconic John Barnaby.

One eager fan took to a Facebook group to share their vision: "If Neil Dudgeon ever retired from the show, I think we should bring back Daniel Casey in his place as Chief Inspector Gavin Troy.

"Also, Laura Howard as Cully Barnaby whose husband died and comes back to town meets Gavin and strikes up a romance, and marries. She becomes his sidekick and the Barnaby in the story that's needed."

The suggestions sparked a mixed bag of reactions among the fans, with one exclaiming: "Oh heavens," while another seemed against the idea with: "No not Gavin Jones."

Others were more concerned about the show's longevity: "I don't care as long as the show carries on," and some were quite supportive of a comeback: "Yes, I would love him back."

Even Neil himself opened up to Radio Times magazine about his trepidations stepping into the role of John, saying: "It was hard at the beginning because John [Nettles] had done it for 14 years.

"If they'd cancelled me after one series, that would have been embarrassing! It gets easier, but I try to keep it fresh. Even if I've gone through the script 50 times, I'll look at it again and have another thought. It's still extremely pleasant and I'm extremely grateful."

John Nettles delved into the motivations behind his decision to leave the long-running series in a 2009 interview with The Telegraph, revealing: "I never thought when we were filming the pilot The Killings at Badger's Drift in 1996 that I would go on to film so many episodes. It has been a joy to be involved in such a long-running series with so many good actors and great storylines. It's the end of an era for me."

He added, with a touch of reflection: "I suddenly realised that I'm going to be the oldest detective in the business now that David Jason has thrown off the mantle. But it was a very difficult decision to make."

Midsomer Murders is available to watch on the ITV Hub.