Kevin Whately is still going strong as DI Lewis

We haven’t seen the last of Lewis!

He’s been a fixture on our screens for 30-odd years. And Kevin Whately seems as familiar as a comfy old pair of shoes.

But having been at the top of his profession for decades, you’d suspect there would be a temptation for a bit of starry, diva-like behaviour. Not a bit.

The Geordie star is the sort of down-to-earth, easy-going guy you’d like to go for a pint with.

He was homesick Neville, the sensible one among the boozing brickies let loose on unsuspecting Germany in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

And then he played Jack Kerruish, the kind of doc you’d really want making house calls in Peak Practice.

But since the heady days of the yuppie 1980s Kevin has been the Oxford copper the viewing public and ITV just won’t let die.

He spent 13 years as John Thaw’s reliable right-hand man, Robbie Lewis, in Inspector Morse.

And for the past seven years he has been the main man in Lewis.

It looked like the dogged detective had solved his last case after he handed in his warrant card at the end of the most recent series. But he’s back and the second of three two-part investigations starts on Friday.

So, Kevin, why are you back when it looked like we’d seen the last of Lewis and partner Hathaway, played by Laurence Fox?

“I blame ITV and the publicity department,” laughs Kevin, 63.

“We didn’t want to carry on endlessly. Laurence wanted to go to America with his wife, Billie Piper, for the TV pilot season.

“And I wanted the year off to do things with the Variety Club and stop making excuses for not showing up.

“But ITV went into panic mode about Laurence not coming back from the States and thought they’d better give it an ending. We’d always said we’d do some more, though.”

The affection between Lewis and Hathaway is mirrored by Kevin’s relationship with the acting pal he calls ‘Laur’.

Kevin says 36-year-old Laurence is a wind-up merchant who keeps everyone on set on their toes.

That includes former Corrie star Angela Griffin, who joined this series as DS Lizzie Maddox.

“We thought the old ‘bromance’ thing had become a bit boring and wanted to get a bit more grit into it,” says Hexham-born Kevin.

“Angela’s sergeant freshens things up a bit. I think she’s a great addition.”

The break from filming gave Kevin time to take on the role he’s still most comfortable with, as a family man.

He and actress wife Melanie have two children, opera singer Kitty and Kieran. And it’s clear from the softening tone in his voice how he dotes on being granddad to Kitty’s daughter Ivy.

With Kitty on tour in Europe he and Melanie were on childminding duties.

“A few months in I was thinking, ‘I could do this retirement thing. I wouldn’t mind never working again.’

“Then a month later, the wife’s saying, ‘Get back to work!’”

Kevin now lives near Milton Keynes but the north east runs through is veins.

“My memories from when I was a kid holidaying in Bamburgh was of scorching summers while the wind howls in reality,” he laughs.

“We used to rent a house for a fortnight with my cousins. My mam would go there when she was a kid, we’ve done it with our kids, now we’re doing it with our grandkid.

“So our family have been doing it for generations. It’s still my favourite place in the world.”

One of the area’s most famous attractions, Holy Island, holds especially poignant significance.

“When my mother died we did a pilgrimage with her ashes,” he confides.

“We had the funeral in London then we took her ashes up. We walked the causeway from Holy Island back to the mainland where we were burying her. I thought it was brilliant.”

The last time we spoke it certainly seemed like the end for Lewis.

But it really is a case of never say never with thoughts now of one more series he wouldn’t like to do more episodes of Lewis than Morse, he just doesn’t reckon it’d be right.

So, let’s catch up next time, I say.

“I don’t promise!” he smiles as he takes his leave.