Shane Richie has attended the launch of a new, fast-paced 21st century version of Minder.
Shane plays Archie Daley, with Royal Shakespeare Company actor Lex Shrapnel taking on the role of his minder, Jamie Cartwright.
The show will be screened on Five, and those behind it emphasised it was not a re-make.
The original ITV show, with a catchy theme tune, starred George Cole as Arthur Daley and Dennis Waterman as Terry McCann back in the 1980s.
The catchy theme tune, sung by the original minder Waterman, has been re-recorded by Glaswegian band Attic Lights.
And songs by indie bands Kasabian and Hard-Fi appear against a glossy London backdrop in the first episode of the new series, which was screened at the show’s launch in a pub in London’s Borough High Street.
Shane joked: “They mentioned Minder to me a year ago and I thought brilliant, it will be me and George Cole. They said: ‘No, you will play the George Cole role,’ and suddenly I realised how old I was! I still see myself as a 20-year-old. I was scared of it because they are big shoes to fill.”
He said he had felt under pressure following in such footsteps, but added: “There are a whole lot of people under 40 that have never seen Minder, other than they may have heard the theme tune at a nightclub.”
Guests in the new series include Rik Mayall and Meera Syal.
The new six-part series of Minder is due to begin airing next month.