Baptiste star Tcheky Karyo has said his new show “has the same DNA” as The Missing ahead of the spin-off’s debut tonight.

The Turkish-born French actor stars as brooding detective Julien Baptiste in the BBC series, written by The Missing creators Harry and Jack Williams.

Speaking on This Morning On Sunday, Karyo said of his character: “He’s always in retreat but always working.

“What I can say is that it’s not completely different. It has the same DNA.

“Season one (of The Missing) was very different from season two, and this one is another similar case but different.

“But we are little bit more with the family, and we got through more of what he is going through, with the danger his family (experiences) and the urgency.”

The six-part drama will see Baptiste charged with tracking down a missing sex worker, sending him on a hunt through Amsterdam’s squalid underworld.

Karyo, 65, said he was thankful for the support The Missing received from the public, adding: “Nobody is a prophet in this country, and this is a great gift.

“I feel it like a big embrace from the British audience. I want to give back. I am happy to be on screen to give back that hug.”

Baptiste airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm