Lee Ingleby has revealed he is hoping Inspector George Gently will be renewed for an eighth series.

The Lancashire-born actor portrays Detective Inspector John Bacchus, alongside Martin Shaw as Chief Inspector George Gently in the BBC One crime drama.

“No news as yet. We’re just waiting to hear, and there’s nothing we can do to persuade the bosses of the BBC and the company who makes Gently,” he said.

The seventh series, comprising of four episodes, finished airing in May.

He added: “It’ll be nice if there is another one, even if we finish it off and have a natural ending to it. Fingers crossed, it has not gone anywhere, we just hope it will continue.”

Meanwhile, Lee has taken over from Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey to voice Bob The Builder as well as filming Sky drama The Five.

Bob the Builder
The new Bob the Builder (HiT Entertainment)

“I hadn’t done anything like this before,” he said about his voice role on the children’s TV show.

“I narrated stories for CBeebies a few years back and I really enjoyed it. I remember as a kid watching Jackanory and shows like those, they really feed your imagination as a child.”

Joanne Froggatt and Blake Harrison also voice characters in Bob The Builder.

The new Bob The Builder and his team
The new Bob The Builder and his team (HIT Entertainment)

Lee, who admitted to feeling “daunted” by the role, said: “I do some voice exercises before I get into the studio, and do a few stretches to make sure that the voice is warmed up.

“You do throw yourself into this, and I find myself pointing to imaginary machinery while I’m shouting in a scene or pulling funny faces. You can’t help but get involved.”

Bob The Builder airs at 7.20am on weekdays, as part of Channel 5′s Milkshake.