'I didn't go on set much but I can tell you Celia is great... and naughty'

Richard Osman on The Thursday Murder Club... and how he is way behind on writing his next Netflix blockbuster

- By Marc Baker

CRIME definitely pays for former Pointless co-host Richard Osman, as Netflix has signed up the second of his whodunnit novels. Fresh from the success of The Thursday Murder Club movie, released in August, the US streaming giant is turning his novel We Solve Murders into a full-length drama series.

This is despite the fact he has not finished writing the story about cat-loving retired policeman Steve Wheeler and his bodyguard daughter-in-law Amy, who tackle crime on a global scale.

"I am really a long way behind," Richard, 55, says. "I am stressed about it, if I am honest.

"But it will be interesting. We sold Thursday Murder Club before the first book had come out." The Thursday Murder Club, which stars Dame Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie and Sir Ben Kingsley as four retirement home sleuths, was filmed in the English countryside.

But Richard stayed away from filming, saying: "I only went down to the set a couple of times. I was never going to get involved. I like writing and I am aware of the bits of the industry I enjoy." The author describes the film industry as crazy, but says there were still some enjoyable times.

He says: "I got to hang out with the director Columbus." Chris A fan of Celia Imrie, he describes her as "great and naughty" - praising everyone involved in filming. "The premiere was great, but like a grandfather with a child, I was able to hand it back at the end of the day," he says. "Honestly, I had the most wonderful experience with that whole gang." As well as his Netflix success, he is co-writing a Thursday Murder Club play with Tom Basden, creator of the ITV2 comedy series Plebs.