She told CultBox: “I used to fantasise about getting a job on Law & Order, but I didn’t want to move to the US so when the show came to me it really was a dream come true.”

Co-producer di Girolamo joined the show’s writing team for Series 3 and is now lead writer for Series 5 and Series 6.

She continued: “I was a huge fan of the mothership and it was impossible to hide my enormous enthusiasm for the show. Everyone on team Law & Order: UK thinks I’m just the biggest geek, but when you immerse yourself in a show for twenty years, it’s hard not to become a bit geeky about it.”

She added: “I’ve spent more than half my life in love with the format, stories and characters which makes writing the show feel as easy as breathing.”

Law & Order: UK returns to ITV1 for a new six-part series at 9pm on Monday 7th March.