Midsomer Murders Gets Season 26 — Before Season 25 Even Airs

Last Updated on April 22, 2026

Good news for fans of cozy crime: Midsomer Murders is officially returning for season 26.

The long-running ITV favorite, which first aired back in 1997, shows no signs of slowing down.

But while the future looks bright for DCI Barnaby and DS Winter, British viewers have been left scratching their heads.

Because here’s the twist — season 26 has been confirmed before season 25 has even aired, and season 24 still hasn’t been shown in the UK at all!

Let’s untangle this slightly confusing release order, find out what’s happening behind the scenes, and explore why UK fans are still in the dark about season 24.

ITV Confirms Midsomer Murders Season 26

ITV has officially given Midsomer Murders the green light for another four feature-length episodes, ensuring the fictional English county of Midsomer will continue to live up to its deadly reputation.

The news comes as season 25 wraps filming, with Neil Dudgeon returning as DCI John Barnaby, Nick Hendrix as DS Jamie Winter, Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby, and Annette Badland as the ever-watchful pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins.

Production company Bentley Productions, part of All3Media, will once again handle the series, and ITV will broadcast the new run on ITV1 and ITVX when ready.

But before we get to that, there’s still the matter of the missing season 24.

Why UK Fans Haven’t Seen Season 24 Yet

It’s one of the most common questions from fans right now: “Where on earth is season 24?”

Here’s the story…

Midsomer Murders is a huge global success, sold to more than 200 countries by All3Media International, which handles the show’s overseas rights.

These deals often come with exclusive “first look” agreements, allowing international platforms to show new episodes before they reach ITV in the UK.

That’s exactly what happened with season 24. It premiered in the United States on Acorn TV in December 2023, months before any mention of a UK release.

Acorn TV has become one of the show’s biggest international partners, so their agreement appears to give them early access in exchange for funding or distribution support.

So while the show is very much British at heart, American audiences got to see season 24 first — and they can already stream it on Acorn TV, Amazon, and Apple TV.

Scheduling and ITV’s Changing Priorities

The other part of the problem is ITV’s own schedule. The channel has been juggling a busy slate of dramas and live sport, meaning Midsomer Murders has sometimes been pushed back or split across multiple years.

The broadcaster has said season 24 will air sometime in 2025, but no specific date has been set.

It’s also worth remembering that ITV now has two outlets for the show: ITV1, the traditional broadcast channel, and ITVX, the streaming platform launched in late 2022.

ITV has been experimenting with how and when to premiere its long-running dramas, and that could be part of why Midsomer Murders is taking longer to appear.

FAST Channels and Long-Term Strategy

There’s another piece of the puzzle, too. Midsomer Murders now runs on several 24-hour “FAST” (Free Ad-Supported Television) channels around the world, including on ITVX, where it is officially ‘the most-watched FAST channel on ITVX since the channel launched.’

These continuous rerun channels are keeping older episodes alive and popular, so ITV may not be in a rush to release new ones when the back catalogue is still performing well.

Put all that together, and you have the likely reason for the delay: licensing deals abroad first, followed by flexible home scheduling.

Season 25 and 26: What We Know So Far

Season 25 wrapped filming in the summer of 2025, with filming locations once again spread across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Expect the same formula with four feature-length mysteries with a mix of eccentric suspects, village feuds, and darkly comic motives.

As for season 26, ITV has already confirmed it will follow the same structure, with Neil Dudgeon and the main cast all returning.

Production will start soon after season 25’s release, keeping the show’s yearly rhythm alive.

It’s rare for any drama to be renewed this far ahead, but the early recommission shows ITV’s continued confidence in the format, even if it doesn’t seem like they’re very bothered about showing the most recent episodes!

That said, Midsomer Murders remains one of Britain’s most reliable exports, attracting millions of viewers worldwide more than 25 years after its debut.

What This Means for Fans

If you’re in the UK, the wait is frustrating, but at least it’s not bad news. The show isn’t cancelled, far from it.

With seasons 25 and 26 locked in, and the global audience still growing, Midsomer Murders is as healthy as ever.

And, if you get desperate, like me, you can always go back and re-watch the older episodes if you need your Barnaby fix.

There’s also a touring theatre production coming up in the UK and Ireland, so that’s also worth checking out!

So What’s Next?

• Season 24 is expected to air on ITV1 and ITVX sometime in 2025
• Season 25 will likely follow later in the same year or early 2026, in the US
• Season 26 will begin filming shortly after that

It might feel like the release order has gone a bit sideways, but once things catch up, UK fans should get two full seasons in fairly quick succession.

So, after more than 130 episodes, Midsomer Murders continues to be a comforting constant with its heady mix of mystery, humor, and the occasional ridiculous death scene that fans wouldn’t trade for anything.

So while UK fans wait for season 24 to finally reach ITV, it’s nice to know there’s plenty more murder and mayhem ahead in Midsomer.

The bodies may pile up, but the show isn’t going anywhere!