When it was announced last year that Todd Carty would be joining The Bill, some people assumed his character would be a Mark Fowler-style good guy - a man who would always fight an underdog's corner and place everyone else's happiness before his own.

But they were wrong.

It's been a refreshing change to see Todd acting against type and copper Gabriel Kent has certainly given him plenty of material to try new things.

"For any actor, it's good to get your teeth into a new storyline and to play such a different person after 12 years," he explained.

But he admits his new persona has frightened some members of the public.

"I get old ladies coming up to me in the supermarket and saying, 'Ooh, you are so horrible' and then I'm going into the next aisle thinking, 'Yes! I'm getting it right!'''

Gabriel is Todd's third long-running role and he isn't worrying about becoming too associated with the role.

"People said years ago, 'will you ever shake off Tucker?" he reveals, "but I don't want to shake him off. Before people saw me as Tucker and Mark, now I hope they see me as Gabriel too.''