Stephen Tompkinson Credits Detective Work With Spoiling Television Drama for Him

Actor Stephen Tompkinson has joked that his lengthy tenure playing Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks in the ITV series has fundamentally altered his ability to enjoy crime television, as he can now identify culprits almost immediately. The 60-year-old performer made the lighthearted confession during an appearance on Alan Titchmarsh's gardening programme, acknowledging that his professional experience with detective storytelling has given him an unfair advantage when watching whodunits.

The DCI Banks Legacy

Tompkinson's portrayal of Alan Banks ran for six years, from 2010 through 2016, on ITV's acclaimed crime drama. The series followed the seasoned detective alongside colleagues DS Annie Cabbot and DI Helen Morton as they investigated murders across the fictional Yorkshire town of Eastvale. The role established Tompkinson as a fixture in British detective drama and clearly left a lasting professional imprint on how he consumes television entertainment.

How Expertise Becomes a Liability

During his conversation with Titchmarsh, Tompkinson explained the paradox of his situation with candid humour. When asked whether his early deductions proved accurate, he confirmed that his instincts typically served him well, allowing him to forecast plot developments before the narrative fully unfolded.

"It's ruined television for me, in a way, because I can watch something and immediately go, 'I'm pretty sure it's them.' Usually, yes, I usually ruin six episodes by waiting for four in between."

Return to Detective Fiction

Rather than abandoning his detective roots, Tompkinson is preparing to revisit the genre with a new project titled This is Not a Murder Mystery. Set in 1936 within a lavish country estate during the height of the Surrealist art movement, the production features an ensemble cast including young versions of Salvador Dalí and René Magritte trapped with a serial killer. Tompkinson portrays DCI John Thistlethwaite, a no-nonsense detective summoned to investigate. The character draws on a background that includes service in the First World War before his transition into law enforcement. The production represents a Belgium-Irish co-production filmed at an English country property located in Ireland.