ITV mocked after putting trigger warning on Midsomer Murders

Fans were left confused following a trigger warning at the start of one episode (Image: ITV)

Viewers have been left baffled following an episode of Midsomer Murders.

The long-running series has been on British television for over 20 years and continues to captivate audiences with its mix of murder mysteries and picturesque countryside settings.

The show features a cast that includes Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby, who took over the lead role from John Nettles, Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby and Nick Hendrix who plays Detective Sergeant Jamie Winter.

In recent seasons, it has introduced new characters and guest stars, and in 2024, has aired more than 24 series. Viewers often enjoy reruns that air on ITV.

However, some fans expressed the same complaint after a 2004 episode that included a trigger warning due to its themes of witchcraft, which left many viewers confused.

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The warning featured on an 2004 episode (Image: Getty)

In the episode titled "The Fisher King," womanising landowner Gareth Heldman is killed by a violent blow from a Celtic spear, which brings back memories of a tragic archaeological dig at the ancient mound of Midsomer Barrow.

The plot also features four other murders and includes several references to Arthurian mythology.

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One person said: “If witchcraft is now triggering, how will anyone at ITV deal with Halloween?”

It comes after Neil Dudgeon defended the use of “trigger warnings” on the show, stating, “We don’t want to upset anyone.”

Neil has defended the beloved series following backlash from fans (Image: Getty) window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20241015.min.js" SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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These warnings, such as “contains crime scenes” or “contains violent killings,” appear at the beginning of certain episodes. In one instance, where Morris dancers perform in blackface, the warning read, “contains traditional dancing that might offend some viewers.”

Addressing the backlash, he said: “You don't want to upset people. There may be some who don't know the name of the programme and have never seen it.

"We're just being careful with peoples' feelings. We don’t want to send anybody off into any sort of a traumatic episode.”

Meanwhile, an ITV spokesperson told The Daily Mail: “Programming that contains potentially sensitive or distressing themes, content or language has carried appropriate warnings since our launch. We regularly review our catalogue to ensure the right guidance is in place for viewers.”

ITV mocked after putting trigger warning on Midsomer Murders

ITV mocked after putting trigger warning on Midsomer Murders

ITV mocked after putting trigger warning on Midsomer Murders

ITV mocked after putting trigger warning on Midsomer Murders

ITV mocked after putting trigger warning on Midsomer Murders