Norman Bowler on John Minton

One of my early heroes was Detective Sergeant (eventually Detective Chief Inspector) Harry Hawkins in Softly, Softly and then Softly, Softly: Task Force.

He was played for a decade from 1966 by Norman Bowler, who turned up many years later as Frank Tate in Emmerdale.

Before Softly Softly, Bowler was an artist's model and bodybuilder. He was a member of the Soho set alongside John Minton, Francis Bacon and Daniel Farson. He married the model and writer Henrietta Moraes.

Here he shares his memories of Minton.