But Shaun is fantastic ? he’s got a real edge and a mysterious side to him. It’s wonderful, great, quality TV.”

Neither does Abigail find it upsetting to see another actor take on the role made famous by her dad.

“Shaun is utterly believable, but I don’t see him connected to Dad,” she explains. “I’m very good at compartmentalising. I think if I went round thinking, ‘Oh this is my father’s role,’ I’d be a blubbering wreck, but Shaun’s made it his own and it feels very different.”

Even so, there was one scene in the pilot which everyone found moving.

Abigail recalls: “All of us on set had a lump in our throat a little when my character said to Morse, ‘Have we met?’ He said no and I said, ‘Another life then.’ That was a real choker. But it was a nice nod to my father.

“There are other lovely clues too. My character’s name is D Frazil and Frazil is a type of ice, so de-ice is to thaw.”

Mirror – Abigail Thaw: “Being on Dad’s show is very emotional…it’s a nice connection for fans”