Britain’s Favourite TV Detective revealed by ITV in new show

ITV aired a one-off special counting down the greatest TV sleuths from the last 50 years.

Britain’s Favourite Detective was narrated by Sheridan Smith.

The show revealed who the country had crowned Britain’s Favourite Detective as voted by the great British public.

ITV teased: “From the infamous Sherlock Holmes, to Line of Duty’s AC-12, from Belgium’s stalwart Hercule Poirot, to modern day hero Luther, from the formidable Jane Tennison to unwitting crime buster Miss Marple, these legendary characters have kept us all on the edge of seats as they attempt to catch some of the most devilish of villains.

“Britain’s Favourite Detective will take a trip through the crime files of some the country’s best loved sleuths and crown one of them the nations favourite.

“But who will take this coveted title? Will US favourite Columbo be crowned the winner, or could the title be in the bag for Oxford’s Inspector Morse. Will the quintessentially British Midsomers Murders make it to the top spot or will the brooding Scandi Noir offering, The Bridge win out.”

Who won Britain’s Favourite TV Detective?

The winner of Britain’s Favourite TV Detective as voted by fans was Sherlock Holmes who beat Inspector Morse into second place.

The full list of top 25 detectives featured in the show (in no particular order) are:

DCI John Luther – Luther
DCI Jane Tennison, – Prime Suspect
DS Steve Arnott, DI Kate Fleming – Line Of Duty
Saga Noren, – The Bridge
DCI Vera Stanhope – Vera

Jonathan Creek
Jessica Fletcher – Murder She Wrote
DI John Rebus – Rebus
Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey – Cagney & Lacey
Detective Chief Inspector Jim Taggart – Taggart

Thomas Magnum, – Magnum PI
Columbo
Janet Scott and Rachel Bailey – Scott & Bailey
DCI Tom Barnaby & DCI John Barnaby – Midsomer Murders
Sherlock Holmes
Jane Marple – Miss Marple

Cormoran Strike – Strike
Dr Edward ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald – Cracker
DI Robert Lewis – Lewis
Hercule Poirot
DI Alec Hardy & DS Ellie Miller – Broadchurch

DCI Endeavour Morse – Inspector Morse
DCS Christopher Foyle – Foyle’s War
Inspector George Gently – Inspector George Gently
DI William Edward ‘Jack’ Frost – Inspector Frost, Frost

The show also featured archive clips and behind he scenes footage as the results are revealed.

Britain’s Favourite Detective aired on ITV from Sunday, August 30 at 8PM.