Midsomer Murders boss 'being treated as criminal'

'Midsomer Murders' boss Brian True-May feels he is being "treated like a criminal".

The producer - who is desperately trying to hold on to his job after being suspended from the ITV drama when he claimed the success of the show was down to its lack of multiculturalism - feels he is the one being treated badly after becoming embroiled in the race row.

He said: "According to the press reports I am going to be investigated as if I was a criminal. There's not a lot to investigate."

ITV bosses are now holding crisis talks with All3Media - which makes the detective series - to discuss how 'Midsomer Murders' can be made more diverse.

However, Anthony Horowitz, who created the show alongside Brian, admitted while his colleague has been "foolish", no one else working on the series has a "racist" attitude.

He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "There is no racist attitude here. It was a foolish attitude here. It was a foolish observation to make because colour is not an issue."

Brian caused controversy when he described 'Midsomer Murders' as the "last bastion of Englishness", and admitted the show had "no place" for non-white characters.

He said: "We are a cosmopolitan society in this country, but if you watch 'Midsomer' you wouldn't think so. I've never been picked up on that, but quite honestly I wouldn't want to change it.

"We just don't have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn't be the English village with them. It just wouldn't work. We're the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way."