Dennis Waterman is loving New Tricks!

He spent years as John Thaw’s partner in iconic 1970s cop show The Sweeney and then had even longer as George Cole’s hired muscle in Minder.

But Dennis Waterman says that with the 11th series of New Tricks just underway on BBC 1, those old shows couldn’t be more firmly in the past.

“I was with a pal, walking through an airport recently and people kept saying, ‘Love the show,” reveals Dennis.

“My friend thought it interesting that no one mentioned The Sweeney or Minder. It was all about New Tricks.”

Dennis is the only original cast member, with Denis Lawson, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Tamzin Outhwaite more recent arrivals.

His “say-it-like-he-thinks” former copper Gerry Standing has proved a real winner with viewers.

“I’ve always been treated nicely by the public. For some reason, fans think I’m like an old mate,” says Dennis.

“I don’t think much has changed with Gerry. The original idea behind the series was that these ex-detectives did things that were un-PC today.

“I have a great line this series about how the police work nowadays, ‘That’s right, you never nick anybody!’”

While James Bolam and Alun Armstrong have departed, Dennis insists the new dynamic is working.

“I enjoyed filming with Denis Lawson and we have quite a few funny scenes together,” added Dennis.

“We have a very interesting story about the Fleet River. It was fascinating to find out about an underground river in London that used to be a major route none of us knew anything about it.”