![Jonathan Creek](/image-library/partners/bang/square/1000/j/jonathan-creek-91bd4102bc5bbc57026cb2bf04b7b4d8f506b417.jpg)
Jonathan Creek
Alan Davies' has said the new series of Jonathan Creek was inspired by his real-life marriage.
The crime-solving drama will return for a new series on BBC One this week and Alan - who married children's book author Katie Maskell in 2007 - says art may have imitated life as his titular detective is married in the latest episodes.
He said: "The fact he's married may be tied to the fact that I'm married. It always said something about Creek that he'd be completely withdrawn from society and other people. Now it says something about him that he's re-entered the atmosphere and is able to sustain a relationship. You couldn't just leave him in the windmill for ever, making up tricks."
Meanwhile, Alan - who first began playing Jonathan Creek 17 years ago - insists he isn't worried about the show competing against 'Sherlock', BBC's hit modern day interpretation of Sherlock Holmes.
He explained: "[Writer] David Renwick is the world's biggest Sherlock Holmes fan - though probably more the original [Arthur] Conan Doyle version - but he'll never pander to whatever is in vogue.
"He won't watch 'Sherlock' and think, 'Oh, that's the kind of thing they want now, where it's all fast-paced and groovy and everyone's good-looking, so we'd better make Creek like that.' He'd rather think, 'Right, what are they doing this year? We can take the piss out of that and be back again next year.' "
Tagged in Alan Davies