Neil Dudgeon, 60, like many of us over the past year, took up running as a way to keep himself entertained and to keep fit while the UK waits out these various lockdowns. But the Midsomer Murders star was confused and mildly concerned to find large bruises on his legs after going for a jog.
Now he’s back at work as DCI John Barnaby, he has to be in tip-top running condition in order to chase down those blood thirsty suspects.
“My daughter wanted to do a bit of running, so I started doing Couch to 5K [the NHS podcast],” he recalled setting himself a challenge back in April last year.
“But I stopped after a week as I started getting huge bruises around my knee.
“The running had been great, fine, but when I saw this large bruising, I thought, ‘This isn’t right. This isn’t meant to happen.’”
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And with worldwide fame comes worldwide recognition, a sentiment that the actor still hasn’t got used to, despite his years in the spotlight.
“I’ll tell you what is an odd thing,” he told Radio Times, “When I went out shopping before lockdown, in my shorts, T-shirt and hat, just walking up the high street, there was a lady, I think she was French, who would sit outside a pavement café and used to shout at me, ‘Oh, it’s you, Barnaby!’
“It was really weird. You’re walking along thinking, ‘What time will I go to football?’ and someone says, ‘You’re Barnaby!’ And you go, ‘Oh, no, I’m not.’”
He added: “You forget who you are in the eyes of other people. And when you encounter that, it jolts you. It’s quite adislocated sensation.”
Neil’s full interview is available to read now in Radio Times.