Davies hopes for new Jonathan Creek

Alan Davies says he wants to conjure up a new series of Jonathan Creek and hopes Sheridan Smith will sign up as his sidekick.

The comic and actor told ITV1's Loose Women there would be "hopefully more" of the hit show about the adventures of a crime-fighting inventor who designs tricks for a popular magician.

He said: "Hopefully Sheridan Smith will be on board. We did two with Sheridan four or five years ago. I love Sheridan but she's so in demand now so we are going to find a gap in her diary."

The show, created by One Foot In The Grave writer David Renwick, was first shown on BBC1 in 1997.

Alan was joined by a succession of sidekicks played by Caroline Quentin and Julia Sawalha before Sheridan signed up to appear in two specials.

He has since become a regular on the panel show QI.