ITV Midsomer Murders star addresses show future after chaotic backstage shake-up

Annette Badland, who plays Fleur Perkins on , has shut down departure rumours by confirming that she is staying put on the show for at least another four series. Recent odds suggested that a potential exit could be on the cards for her after five years, in favour of Happy Valley's Sarah Lancashire.

While the 74-year-old acknowledges the possibility of a new character taking her place, she remains signed up for the time being. Annette hopes to stay on the show not only because she enjoys the role, but for a more personal reason.

Having recently faced harsh online criticism about her natural white hair, the actress stressed the importance of representing older women on television. "That's why I like doing Midsomer because Fleur is an older woman with a brain, a good career, a sex life, a Harley Davidson, a black Jag convertible and [she] can send the lads up," she revealed.

"So, I think that's a good message to put out because we are still a potent force.

"I am a part of an army, a whole generation of women who can do stuff later in life and you know we shouldn't be ignored, we have stories to tell."

Reflecting on her casting, she revealed it was a chaotic turn of events behind-the-scenes that led to her role.

"I don't know which pathologist it was, but under his [Guy Hescott's] term, he said the pathologist, the actor, was poorly and couldn't come in," she recalled.

"They were going 'Oh God, we've got to shoot the scenes, how are we going to get around [it]?'."

After somebody suggested "a fax machine" with details to be read out, Annette shared of the producer's response: "He said, 'I knew I wanted a pathologist who couldn't be replaced by a fax machine'."

As well as her personal reason for playing Fleur, Annette also enjoys the mystery of her character.

"As I say, I really enjoy it because you never know.

"I love that they don't know if she's telling the truth, and she may or may not be," she continued.

"Some is true, in my head some is true, some isn't and she's just pushing boundaries and going 'will you buy this?'

"[It's exciting] and clever to play a woman who, basically she solves the crimes," she added, laughing: "They're hopeless those boys."

Midsomer Murders airs tonight at 8pm on ITV.