REBUS creator Sir Ian Rankin has revealed he’s finally been able to watch his character on screen – nearly a quarter of a century after it was first aired. The writer refused to view the debut series starring John Hannah on ITV in 2000 then avoided it when Ken Stott filled the role. 3 Sir Ian Rankin (right) unveil's former Corrie star Gray O'Brien as the latest actor to play John Rebus.
3 Sir Ian chats to Scottish Sun writer Matt Bendoris about his new play. 3 Sir Ian reveals that Richard Rankin's Rebus is the first he's been able to watch on screen. But now he has been able to enjoy the latest reincarnation on the BBC starring his namesake Richard Rankin as a younger, tougher Detective John Rebus.
And Sir Ian reveals exactly why. He says: “The worry for me was that I would turn the Rebus in my books into John Hannah or Ken Stott. “Colin Dexter, who wrote Inspector Morse, told me that he changed his Morse in his books to be more like John Thaw the actor who was playing him.
READ MORE SHOWBIZ CRIME THRILLER Rebus 2024 cast, plot and filming locations – Scottish crime drama explained CRIME LOCATION Rebus: The iconic locations featured in hit show & where to find them “I didn’t want that to happen to me because I had my Rebus in my head and I didn’t want to lose him. “But because Richard Rankin was younger and portrayed Rebus in such a different way to my books, I felt I could watch it this time without it affecting how I wrote my character.” And Sir Ian, 64,.