He’s had hearts racing in Holby and Casualty and showed his eye for crime solving in Father Brown.

But how does Tom Chambers feel about stepping into the shoes of one of UK’s most treasured detectives as it makes the swap from the dreaming spires of Oxford to a stage in Woking?

“It’s daunting, yes, but it’s a thrilling challenge,” said Chambers on following the formidable footsteps of John Thaw in Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts.

“The thrill for me is in the dialogue and the writing, and especially the camaraderie between Morse and Lewis and their relationship. You have that classic thing of him putting Lewis down but with a sensa of irony and jest and sometimes despair.”

Morse and his classic Jaguar will roll into Woking in a fortnight with House of Ghosts appearing at the New Victoria Theatre from November 11 to 15.

It’s fair to say Morse is one of the greatest TV detectives of the last half century with its follow-ups and prequels also drawing in huge audiences over the decades.

So seeing a live version of should be a treat for any fans of the ale-drinking Colin Dexter sleuth – with Chambers counting himself as one.

He said: “This play is such a delicious treat for anyone who is fan of the Inspector Morse stories and TV show, like I was and have been throughout the decades.

“It’s such a fantastic, reliable brand, and this piece of writing by Alma Cullen is fascinating. She was one of the original four writers from the very first series when it came out in 1987 but this is an original play that only had a small tour in 2010 and was broadcast on the radio a few years later.

“So, for most people it will be a brand-new story that they've never seen before. That's really exciting for them and also for us.”

Theatregoers should expect a trip down memory lane as the play is about catching up from Morse’s past from 25 years ago and an unrequited love story from his time at Oxford University.

Both the domestic and professional side of the subject will be on show in a “play within a play” with murder, Morse and love coming together in a moreish mix.

“There’s a different kind of energy to the setting because we're back in 1987 where there are no mobile phones and it's all analogue, and I love that idea,” added Chambers, who is familiar with the turf after spending time at a Guildford drama school.

But does Chambers think he would make a good sleuth in real life, though?

“Well, I do love observation and I'm probably quite finicky about where things are, how things are done and how they are put together, but I don't think I've got that kind of intelligence.

“Instead I enjoy playing the intelligence that's been written into these characters.”

Ticket prices start at £15, for times and bookings look for Woking on https://www.atgtickets.com/