It might have been called the HMS Barnaby. Or the SS Sgt Troy.

But instead the new river cruise motorboat is simply called Midsomer and it will be officially christened and launched on May 14 by Britain’s Olympic rowing gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave.

It will be available for weekly and weekend sailing down the Thames, visiting locations made famous by one of British TV’s most popular shows.

Midsomer Murders is in its 17th series and 104th episode, with six more whodunnits, originally adapted from Caroline Graham’s novels, already commissioned and due to be aired in 2016.

The programme has a global audience of six million every episode and is shown in more than 100 countries.

Although there are self-drive ‘MM’ location tour itineraries and very popular escorted bus tours, this will be the first self-drive location cruise.

Starting in Henley-on-Thames in Berkshire, the MM water-borne sightseeing route takes in villages in South Oxfordshire and the Chilterns such as Sonning (Midsomer Stanton in Written in the Stars), Dorchester (Lower Crosby in The Ballad Of Midsomer), Warborough (Midsomer St Michael in Sins of Commission) and Wallingford (Death’s Shadow).

Sir Steve Redgrave will officially christen the vessel

Meals and refreshments are available in pubs seen in the show such as the Swan at Streatley, the Fleur de Lys in Dorchester (Devington Arms in Master Class), Leatherne Bottel at Goring (Pike and Perch in Made for Murder), and the Argyll in Henley, which serves Midsomer Ale. The Six Bells on the Green at Warborough receives more than 150 foreign coach groups a year.

Sir Steve even appeared in Dead in the Water, filmed at the 2004 Henley Regatta.

Others celebrities such as Jenny Agutter and Suzi Quatro have also made cameo appearances.

Orlando Bloom played a local burglar and gigolo found stabbed to death by a pitchfork in the third series episode Judgement Day.

The new motorboat is a Linssen Grand Study 36 that has sleeping space for up to six people.

Marlow-born Sir Steve, chairman of the Henley Regatta Committee, played himself as a rowing talent scout.

“After my infamous remark on my retirement about shooting me if I ever got back into a rowing boat, I wondered if the producers might have had that in mind when they asked me to appear in Midsomer Murders,” he said. “Happily I finished alive and well. Quite an achievement given their fondness for killing off guests in inventive ways!”

One two-hour episode takes five weeks to film. The total death toll is approaching 300, with Badger’s Drift (the name of the first book, published in 1987) with the highest body count.

Along the riverbank you are likely to meet show extras and will soon be humming the theme tune, which MM anoraks will tell you is played on a theremin.

The luxury Linssen Grand Study 36 Midsomer sleeps six and was built in Dusseldorf.

Its route takes in 10 locks, nine bridges – and Agatha Christie. The author lived as Mrs Mallowan in Winterbrook House near Wallingford from 1934 to her death in 1976. She is buried there.

Scenes for Downton Abbey were shot at Grey’s Court near Henley.

Midsomer Murders is also shot around Buckinghamshire which has its own MM walking trails.

Watlington has often been featured as Causton, but nobody really knows where Inspector Barnaby’s houses are as they keep moving.

Sadly, no cast members are expected to be at the launch, not even detective side-kick Sykes the terrier – although the Midsomer is pet friendly.

To book, see www.hobbsofhenley .com, call 01491 572035 or e-mail boats@hobbsofhenley.com.

Hiring Midsomer costs from £1,900 to 2,700 per week depending on dates.

No licence is required. Pilots and passengers received brief instruction before casting off.