'Midsomer Murders' co-creator 'to step down'

Brian True-May, the co-creator of Midsomer Murders, has rejoined the ITV crime drama after sparking a race row, but will "step down" at the end of the new series, it has been announced.

Production company All3Media said that True-May had apologised for any "unintended offence" caused by his comments suggesting that the ITV1 show "wouldn't work" if it featured ethnic minorities.

An ITV spokesman welcomed True-May's apology but said that he will leave the long-running crime drama after the end of its latest series.

"We welcome the apology from Brian True-May and understand that he will step down from his role on Midsomer Murders at the end of the current production run," said the spokesman.

In the interview with the Radio Times last week, True-May said that Midsomer Murders was the "last bastion of Englishness", and should stay that way.

"We are a cosmopolitan society in this country, but if you watch Midsomer you wouldn't think so," True-May was quoted as saying.

"I've never been picked up on that, but quite honestly I wouldn't want to change it."

He added: "We just don't have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn't be the English village with them. It just wouldn't work. Suddenly we might be in Slough.

"Ironically, Causton (the fictional town in the series) is supposed to be Slough. And if you went to Slough you wouldn't see a white face there. We're the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way."

After the comments, True-May was suspended by All3Media, maker of shows such as The Only Way Is Essex and Hollyoaks, but was reinstated to his post after an internal investigation.

The 14th series of Midsomer Murders premieres tonight on ITV1 at 8pm, with Neil Dudgeon replacing John Nettles as the central character.