Dead end

(BBC2, 9pm)

AFTER 13 years, Tom Barnaby is hanging up his police notebook and truncheon.

Tonight is the final outing for John Nettles as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders.

The name will live on because Neil Dudgeon is taking over investigating duties as DCI John Barnaby – Tom’s cousin.

Talk about keeping it in the family.

He’s introduced in this episode, but the main focus is firmly on the other Barnaby.

Producer Brian True-May is confident that the killing will carry on after Nettles’ departure. “Although we will miss the huge contribution that John has made to the series, the brand of Midsomer is so strong that I’m confident of its continuing success,” he says.

“We look forward to our new Barnaby tackling more murder and mayhem in Midsomer. Having said that, [Tom] Barnaby’s final scene is a very emotional one, and there was scarcely a dry eye when we finished filming.

“I’m sure it will touch a chord with John’s many fans in the UK and around the world, but it’s a tribute to the brilliant actor and great gentleman that he is, that the handover to Neil Dudgeon is so seamless.”

Nettles – who was, of course, that other Jersey TV detective Bergerac in a previous TV incarnation – reckons it’s been a joy to be involved in such a long-running series as Midsomer Murders, with so many good actors and great storylines.

“If Neil has half the good times that I’ve had on Midsomer then he’ll be in seventh heaven,” he says.

Despite living in a supposedly sleepy area of the country, death has followed Tom Barnaby around for the past 13 years and, even as he tries to relax, he uncovers a murder.

He and his wife, Joyce, go for a spa weekend at swanky Swavely Manor, but instead of enjoying the treatments, he ends up investigating the death of a woman whose body is recovered from a flotation chamber. Before you know it, he’s knee-deep in feuding neighbours, money wrangles and the mystery of a half-written novel.

But Barnaby has a birthday approaching too, and it’s a biggie with a massive decision attached to it.

Barnaby won’t be killed off, but Nettles claims he’s disappointed the character won’t be going out in a blaze of glory.

“I wanted to die in noble fashion in the service of my country and then be buried with full military honours in Westminster Abbey. In the event, Tom and his long-suffering wife, Joyce, will simply retire.

It’s always better to leave when people want more,” says Nettles.

However, True-May reveals there is an alternate ending to the edition. “We did one version showing Barnaby’s retirement party and another where it is a birthday gathering,” he says.

“So, for the first UK transmission, it will be the retirement ending, but for repeat screenings when episodes are shown in different orders and for international use, it will be the birthday version. In a way, John will always live on in Midsomer.”

Geraldine James, Lesley Manville, Jason Durr, Ronni Ancona and Shaun Dingwall are among the guest stars in Nettles’ final episode.

DID you know that, according to research, it’s harder than at any time since the First World War for people from less-privileged backgrounds to secure the best jobs?

Who Gets The Best Jobs investigates social equality in Britain, scrutinising how access to the professions, such as medicine, journalism and fashion, really works. Richard Bilton investigates if it’s true that the most desirable jobs are being taken by those belonging to a small pool of privileged and well-connected families.

Meanwhile, Bilton looks like what’s known as the “hourglass economy”, where there’s a noticeably widening gap between those at the bottom and those at the top of a company, and people without a degree have an even slimmer chance of getting on the ladder and building a decent career.

Bilton meets young interns as they struggle to make ends meet with no pay, as he realises that getting a good degree is more important than ever, and that impressive contacts and social skills are just as crucial.