Johnson, who has played Detective Inspector Spencer Jordan since the show started in 2000, told BBC Press Office: “One was in Series 3, where I had a storyline that involved my family.”

He added: “Also, in Series 5, where I got shot was quite a nice little cliff-hanger storyline. Again, it was certainly skeletons from my past that came back to haunt me in the form of a former best friend of mine who was intricately tied into the case. It was nice to finish Series 5 and have the whole nation say, ‘Are you dead or are you alive?’”

He added: “It’s very interesting being stopped in the super market and someone saying, ‘Are you dead?’ and replying, ‘No, I am very much alive actually – not sure about the character though!’ It was very surreal!”

Series 9 begins at 9pm on Sunday 13th March.