Bring back Lovejoy... but not as an antique
Ian wants ‘young blonde’ for reboot
IAN McShane says the time is right for a Lovejoy revival – but with a much younger “gorgeous blonde” as the antiques dealer.
This year marks the 25th anniversary since the much-loved series finished on BBC1.
McShane became one of the UK’s most popular actors for his role as the charming but roguish wheeler-dealer.
And now the 76-year-old feels a revival would work with him introducing his young daughter to run the business, set in East Anglia.
McShane said: “Everybody keeps asking me about my thing in Lovejoy and I said if you are going to do Lovejoy, then hire a daughter.
“It would be a perfect. It is a great part for a young actress in England. You bring it back, talk about Lovejoy and then in walks this gorgeous blonde and that is the new Lovejoy.
“But you know you cannot go back again 25 years. As much as you like to, it is not the same.”
McShane spoke as he promoted the new Deadwood film, out in the US next month on HBO. It originally ran as a TV drama for three seasons from 2004 to 2006 and McShane described it as a “love letter to the old Deadwood”, set 10 years later. In it, he revisits his character, saloon owner Al Swearengen.
He said: “Al is not exactly what he used to be. I mean you can’t drink that much and not be.” He added: “When I was on the road, it would be on and I would watch, and I’d finish up, smiling to myself, ‘it’s a really good show’.
“It was a great show, a terrific show. No bones about it. We did three years. A lot of shows don’t get that.”