Midsomer Murders’ Annette Badland admits 'naughty' backstage temptation as Fleur Perkins

express.co.uk:

Express.co.uk.The Midsomer Murders star admitted that she had experienced a rather “naughty tempation” before while on set as her character Fleur, acting opposite DCI John Barnaby star Neil Dudgeon.Annette joined Midsomer Murders back in 2019 as motorbike-riding chief pathologist Fleur Perkins.While Annette only became a part of the show in its 20th season, the ITV hit has now been running for 25 years.

When asked what she thinks makes it stand the test of time, Annette replied: “I think it’s quite quirky and English because the deaths are often extraordinary and the fans like that.”Opening up about one particular murder scene featuring “naughty” Fleur, Annette admitted she got an inappropriate temptation during filming.  “One death I’ve had is by chocolate,” Annette recalled, as she referred to the season 20 episode The Lions of Causton.“It was as much as I could do not to break a bit off and eat it,” the actress admitted.She went on to explain that she felt it was “something Fleur might do” but decided against it for a rather peculiar reason.“I thought Fleur might do, but then I had to think, ‘No - of course she’d like dark chocolate.’“‘This person’s been smothered in milk chocolate and she’d prefer dark.’”Reflecting on her mischievous character, she added: “It’s the sort of naughty thing where, if it wasn’t near the body, I thought Fleur might just have a little.”When asked what it was like to be given such a fun role, Annette responded: “It’s brilliant to play an older woman who’s got a very interesting private life and who is very good at her job and can send the blokes up and intrigue them and things. “It’s terrific, you know, and there should be more - and they do exist in real life - characters like that.