Inspector Morse voted best TV crime drama ever by Radio Times readers

INSPECTOR MORSE has been voted the best British crime drama television series of all time.

The Oxford-set ITV series, which starred the late John Thaw as author Colin Dexter’s real-aledrinking detective, topped a list of 50 shows in the poll voted for by readers of the Radio Times.

Foyle’s War finished in second place while the rest of the top five was made up of shows that are currently running. The BBC’s

Line Of Duty was third, Morse prequel series Endeavour finished in fourth and Bafta-winning Happy Valley, which is filmed in the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, was fifth. Further down the list, A Touch

Of Frost pipped Midsomer Murders to the final spot in the top 10. Actor Kevin Whately starred alongside Thaw as Morse’s sidekick Detective Sergeant Robert Lewis between 1987 and 2000.

He later reprised the role for spin-off series Lewis, which placed 12th in the poll.

Whately, 67, said he was astonished at the enduring popularity of Inspector Morse and the subsequent series it has inspired.

He said: “I think what viewers love is the fact that Morse isn’t your usual hero. He’s lonely, boozy, angry but very bright.

“And he’s a match for all these supercilious Oxford brains. To be honest, I was surprised by Lewis’ success as I always thought of him as a sounding board for Morse.

“I didn’t think it was a good idea to spin him off at all, but I was persuaded to do it and it took off. I like Endeavour a lot because it’s hung on actual historical events as it goes through the 60s. And they’ve upped their budgets since we finished on Lewis, so the episodes look really good.”