FILM and TV star Martin Freeman has spoken about what it was like to meet and play Det Supt Steve Fulcher.

The detective broke police procedure when he questioned killer Christopher Halliwell about the disappearance of Sian O’Callaghan in Swindon, resulting in an inadmissible confession from Halliwell and Mr Fulcher’s resignation from the force.

Mr Freeman told the Guardian: “The biggest tragedy is the women who died and their families but this is an awful thing that happened to him. Fulcher was deemed to be a bad guy by some people.

“I do know he was never fantastic at suffering fools. And that may, or may not, have been instrumental in what happened to him afterwards, since if I rubbed you up the wrong way and you later see an opportunity to kick me in the nuts, you might take it.”

Sian went missing from Swindon in March 2011. Halliwell later confessed to her murder and that of Becky Godden.