This article first appeared in .

What’s the view from your sofa?

It’s in what we call my “man cave”, which is just a sofa and a big telly – no pinball machines.

What have you watched recently in your man cave?

I just watched Normal, a Bob Odenkirk film, and I’m currently in the middle of Furious, which is brilliant. I get as frustrated as everyone else that I can’t watch things all at once, but Monday has become a special night in our house because we’ll sit down and watch it together. I think it’s great that telly can still be that compelling.

Who controls the remote?

My wife [Rose Blackshaw]. I’ve never got my glasses with me, so I can’t actually read what’s on the telly, or even see the buttons on the remote. She’s got varifocals, and they make all the difference!

A new series of The Chelsea Detective starts this week – what do you think of cosy crime?

I think it’s great, and fulfils a real need, because there are lots of people who don’t like blood and gore and want to work out the mystery for themselves. They like the characters, the love interests, the personal stories. Nothing too savage or violent. I’d say cosy crime appeals to people of a certain age, but perhaps not – I get stopped in Waitrose by as many 30-year-olds as 75-year-olds!

Your DI Max Arnold has a new bike this series. How’s that?

I have no idea why he needs an electric bike in Chelsea, it’s completely flat! But I do love riding it. I’ve been cycling in London for 35 years, and was once knocked off by a bus on Waterloo Bridge! I’m a confident cyclist, especially on this new bike. I feel like I’m the king of the road!

But Max doesn’t own a TV...

No, he’s a vinyl man. I am, too. Although, the other day, I had to drive my son’s car, so I just grabbed an eclectic mix of CDs from my collection, and it was so lovely. I listened to Western Skies by Roddy Frame – what a fabulous album. Also Folie à Deux by Fall Out Boy, one of my son’s albums. Amazing! Anthemic! There’s not a duff song on it. I was just sailing down the M4, singing at the top of my voice.

What do you think we’ve lost by streaming music?

I think albums should always be listened to in their proper order. That’s what makes them fantastic. Look at something like The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, which has sections or instrumentals between tracks. Sometimes, on streaming services, they’ll prevent you from listening to those sections, or stop the tracks continuing in the way the album was designed to. And that infuriates me beyond belief.

Max is trying to find a better work-life balance. How’s yours?

Much better than it was – if “better” is working less and playing more. Rose and I really enjoy each other’s company, so we travel a lot and have pretty cool adventures. The last was a month in Thailand. We did some of the Mae Hong Son Loop, which has 1,800 hairpin bends, went to see some elephants in the wild and visited the Second World War camp where The Bridge on the River Kwai was set.

Are you most recognised now for your role in Gavin & Stacey or The Chelsea Detective?

It’s changing now, which is extraordinary. I’m getting a lot more Chelsea Detective. We were in Montenegro last year, walking around a lake in Durmitor National Park, and an American woman shouted, “Are you the Chelsea Detective?” We had a lovely chat. Of all the places in the world to get stopped – it was most peculiar! As for Gavin & Stacey, what a wonderful family to be part of for so long. We’ve had births, deaths, marriages – and we still see one another, and chat on our WhatsApp group.

Season 4 of The Chelsea Detective begins at 8pm on U&Drama on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 September 2026.

Add The Chelsea Detective to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

The latest issue of is out on Tuesday – .

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.