Midsomer Murders return date revealed - and it's much sooner than you might think!

Midsomer Murders has been a much-loved staple on our TV screens since it began airing all the way back in 1997 but sadly has had its regular schedule interrupted over the last two years thanks to the pandemic.

MORE: All we know about new series of Midsomer Murders

Fortunately for fans, ITV has revealed that the show will be back on screens in just a few weeks' time. The fourth episode from the drama's 22nd series will air on Sunday 29 May 2022 at 8pm - and we couldn't be more excited to see DCI John Barnaby back solving another case!

WATCH: Are you a fan of ITV detective dramas?

The episode, titled The Scarecrow Murders, will see the annual Midsomer Scarecrow Festival take a grisly turn as bodies begin appearing on poles displayed alongside their straw creations.

MORE: See how the cast of Midsomer Murders have changed throughout the years

MORE: 13 shows to watch if you love Midsomer Murders

Neil Dudgeon's Barnaby and Nick Hendrix's DS Jamie Winter investigation reveals rivalries that run deep and that people will do just about anything to win. Joining the pair in the cast of the show are series regulars Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby and Annette Badland as Dr Fleur Perkins as well as Barnaby's faithful canine companion, Paddy the dog.

midsomer-murders-ep4
midsomer-murders-ep4

The drama will return to screens on Sunday 29 May 2022 at 8pm

The news of the drama's return comes after it was announced that an extra special anniversary episode will air later this year to celebrate 25 years of Midsomer Murders. 

Titled Midsomer Murders – 25 Years of Mayhem, it will see Neil's predecessor, John Nettles, return for the first time since he bowed out after a 14-year stint as Causton's resident detective DCI Tom Barnaby.

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midsomer-murders-john

Midsomer Murders – 25 Years of Mayhem will see John Nettles return

The Detective Barnabys past and present will be joined by a number of other key cast members from the show's history, including Daniel Casey, who played DS Gavin Troy, Jason Hughes, who played DS Ben Jones and Jane Wymark, who played Joyce Barnaby.

MORE: The real reason why John Nettles left Midsomer Murders

According to ITV, the documentary will be a celebration "over two decades of one of Britain's best-loved and most enduring crime dramas."

The one-off episode will tell the story of how the series came to life off the page of Caroline Graham's Chief Inspector Barnaby books and take a look back at the guest appearances of the stars who went on to become household names, such as Orlando Bloom and Henry Cavill, who both appeared in the crime drama before they became huge Hollywood stars.

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