With no new episodes due to be broadcast for the next few weeks, it’s the ideal time to catch up on some of the Midsomer Murders news stories you might have missed over the past month. On June 2nd, The New Statesman reported that Prime Minister David Cameron had hatched a plan to introduce John Nettles to German chancellor Angela Merkel when she visited Chequers last year.

Mrs Merkel is rumoured to share David Cameron’s love of watching Midsomer Murders and the PM’s inner circle apparently believed that the thought of meeting Nettles, who has just retired from playing DCI Barnaby, would help to improve diplomatic relations.

But the strategy, according to the Statesman, had to be abandoned when the “prickly” Nettles declined.

This version of events was somewhat contradicted by The Telegraph which on June 3rd revealed that there wasn’t time for such a meeting, Nettles wasn’t invited and that Merkel was perfectly happy with a gift of a Midsomer Murders box set.

Furthermore, the Telegraph quoted John Nettles’ agent as saying that his client would be “delighted and honoured” to meet Mrs Merkel should a summit ever be arranged.

It seems that the German chancellor will get plenty of opportunities to watch more episodes of Midsomer; Broadcast reports that a 15th series of the show is likely to be commissioned by ITV.

News that Jo Wright – who has previously worked on Casualty and EastEnders – has been appointed as the show’s new producer seems to suggest that further episodes will definitely be in the pipeline.

Good news for all of us MM fans!