Shane Richie to star in Minder

TV classic Minder is to be revived with former EastEnders star Shane Richie playing Archie Daley, the nephew of 1980s wheeler dealer Arthur Daley.

The original cult series, starring George Cole and Dennis Waterman, first aired in 1979 and ran for 15 years.

Actor Lex Shrapnel will play the Minder role in the new six-part series, to be broadcast on Channel Five next year.

The 2009 version will move away from the gritty storylines of the 1980s in favour of more family-based drama.

"We want to satisfy fans of the original, but will also add different elements in order to excite new viewers," said Jonathan Young, the executive producer for Talkback Thames, who are making the new series.

Each hour-long episode will be a self-contained story located around iconic London landmarks such as the London Eye and Borough Market.

Channel Five's Ben Gale said the revived show would have "all the humour and charm of the original Minder".

"The assembled on and off-screen talent is exactly what's needed to bring this celebrated series to life for a new audience," he added.