I didn't want to play a cop again...untill was chosen for Rebus

Richard Rankin can't wait for fans of capital copper to dive into the criminal underworld in reboot

- HEATHER GREENAWAY

OUTLANDER star Richard Rankin admits he had no intention of playing a cop again until the iconic role of DS John Rebus came along.

The 41-year-old, who was a detective in BBC crime dramas Silent Witness and Thirteen, said it is a "privilege" to be chosen for the part previously filled by John Hannah and Ken Stott.

The much-anticipated reboot of Rebus, based on Sir Ian Rankin's best-selling novels of the same name, starts next week and Richard assured fans they won't be disappointed.

Richard, who shot to fame playing Roger Mackenzie in Outlander, said: "I have played cops a few times in one form or another. I thought I had sufficiently explored this archetype.. and then Rebus came along.

"I made an exception because Rebus is such an iconic character in Scottish literature and television. It already has such a huge following, That aside, it was within the first 10 pages of episode one that had me absolutely hooked.

"I could tell writer and executive producer Gregory Burke was doing something new and exciting with this.

"It felt real, it felt dark, and it felt charged."

The Burnistoun star, who was born in Rutherglen, added: "I instantly knew Rebus was not going to be the same as other detective dramas.

You would imagine a procedural cop show. It's a character drama.