The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Angus ideal for a few Midsomer murders?
Student from area suggests a Scottish special
An ambitious bid has been launched to get Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby to swap Midsomer for Montrose.
Edinburgh University student and former Arbroath High School pupil Hunor Deak has written to the writers of Midsomer Murders to get them to film episodes in Angus as part of a Scottish special.
It could mean DCI Barnaby investigating arson in Auchmithie, cannibalism in Carnoustie, a decapitation at Dunnichen, a garotting at Glamis, a mutilation in Monikie or torture in Tealing.
The show, set in the wealthy isolated English county of Midsomer, follows the efforts of the DCI — first played as Tom Barnaby by John Nettles and most recently by Neil Dudgeon as cousin John — to solve endless crimes in the area.
The series is usually shot in the rural countryside around Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
First year geology student Hunor, who is originally from Transylvania, Romania, moved to Arbroath six years ago and fell in love with the town before relocating to Edinburgh to study.
He grew up in Romania reading Sir Walter Scott’s novels, which immortalised the nearby fishing village of Auchmithie, from where the original Arbroath smokie hails. Hunor, 19, said: “Places like the Arbroath Abbey, Lunan Bay, the classic car show at Glamis Castle and the old bridge of Arbirlot would be perfect settings for filming.
“The county has council housing, old fishing villages, giant mansions, abandoned ruins, vast stretches of beaches and great rural farmland — it would be a great playground for crime writers.
“The land of the Red Lichties would be a perfect place for the Barnaby clan to investigate murders.”
He added: “I love Midsomer Murders. It somehow manages to get away with violent murders by putting them into a political and cultural context.
“I think Angus has a certain atmosphere that would be fitting for a murder series.
“Towns like Arbroath and Montrose lost hope in themselves.
“People forgot their great history and in my opinion should take more pride in it.
“It would be good if the county could gain more respect internationally
“Angus would be a great choice since it is one of the most Scottish parts of Scotland.
“This place inspired Sir Walter Scott and the Declaration of Arbroath being sealed in 1320.”
This is not the first time the teenager has tried to promote his adopted home town.
He previously tried to persuade ex-president Barack Obama to visit Arbroath during a trip to Scotland earlier this year.