Philip Glenister has always enjoyed watching cop shows on TV, ever since he was a little boy glued to Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars.

"I loved The Sweeny too, as a lad," he recalls. "But even though I have played loads of coppers on telly, I've never had to wear a uniform - I'm always the designer policeman!"

In fact, Philip has joined the force in everything from Silent Witness to ID but he is always the good guy never the action hero.

He says: "Actually all that action cop stuff is probably really boring. In Hornblower we have huge explosions and gunfire but these effects take forever to set up and are no fun for actors."

Talking about his character in Lloyd & Hill, Philip explains: "Lloyd is basically a likeable cop who gets the job done. He isn't quite sure how to handle things when his former lover joins the team, but he doesn't let it affect his work.

"Mind you, I'm not sure I like the fact that it's always Hill who comes up with the answers!"

He continues: "It was great fun working with Michelle, whom I first met through my partner Beth Goddard when they filmed Daylight Robbery together.

"Michelle is a real team player and Lloyd & Hill is very much an ensemble piece so we all mucked in together."

Philip is currently filming the third series of Clocking Off for the BBC, in which his character Mac has a surprise when his brother turns up out of the blue and in need of help.

Philip and Beth have recently bought a new house together in south London. But Philip admits he isn't a DIY natural.

"We are having a new kitchen put in, everything redecorated and the garden needs doing but I'd sooner get someone in to do the work. I don't think Beth would trust me to do it anyway!

"We are dreading Concorde being back in business as we are right in its flight path but for me the house is perfectly situated - right near a golf course."

Golf is Philip's real passion and he plays for The Stage golf society, which he describes as a "luvvies' club".

"The club course is just down the road in Richmond so I'm there as much as work allows. Well, it's a good form of exercise, isn't it?"

Philip can also be seen in ITV's adaptation of C. S. Forrester's classic sea-faring adventure Hornblower later this year.