I know I got the part because of my name... I'm not stupid!'

Keeping it in the family: Abigail Thaw says she knows her surname got her the role in Endeavour

She shares the same surname as one of the most famous TV detective of all time.
And Abigail Thaw is under no illusions that her acting ability caused her to get cast in Morse spin-off Endeavour, admitting that she knows her surname was he reason she landed the role in the show about the Inspector's early life.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Abigail said: 'Of course I knew it was because of my name - I'm not stupid.
'But I've been an actor for long enough now not to feel that's something to be ashamed of, so I jumped at the chance.'
Abigail plays newspaper editor Dorothea Fazil in the show, and said she was thrilled her role in the show could please fans of her father's Morse legacy.
She said: 'I've been in a few crime dramas and for me this felt a bit special like a nice connection and it was a nice connection too for the die-hard Morse fans.'
However, Abigail said in a previous interview that her father, who died in 2002 aged 60, was less than keen on her following in his acting footsteps.
She added: 'He wasn’t keen on me being an actor. My mother, who was a history professor, wasn’t keen on my being an actor either. Both had their own reasons.

 

Legend: John Thaw as Inspector Morse with Kevin Whatley as Lewis

 

'He didn't want me to be an actor': Abigail with her father back in 1973

'I think Dad was very protective and didn’t want me to feel that rejection that you get inevitably being an actor, putting yourself out there, but once I made that decision, he was very supportive.
'So he would give me advice when I asked for it, but I think he wanted me to have my own experiences.'

 

Shaun Evans, who stars as a young version of Morse in the prequel series, said of Abigail's role in the show: 'Abigail's a brilliant actress in her own right. It was amazing having her on set.'
The pilot episode of Endeavour aired last year, with the first series of the show kicking off on 14th April.

 

 

Younger model: Shaun Evans stars as the young Morse in Endeavour