A writer for the daytime TV show Doctors has released his long-awaited debut novel - receiving great acclaim from TV stars in the process.

David Lloyd, from Backwell, finished his first book 'A Most Unwelcome Connection' after the BBC suspended work on the TV drama, Doctors due to the pandemic.

He said: "It had been slow going - my regular work for Doctors had meant that my novel had taken longer than I had hoped to complete.

"When lockdown came along, and the BBC suspended production, I knew that if I did not take advantage of all that spare time, there was a risk that I would never finish it.”

The book tells the tale of protagonist Colin, a well-ordered man selling theatrical memorabilia from his shop, and a chance encounter with a woman which plunges him into a world of murder, espionage and double-dealing.

Weston Mercury: Ben Elton liveBen Elton live (Image: Archant)

David has received many plaudits for his debut effort - most notably from TV stars Ben Elton and Joe Sims.

Ben Elton said: "It has taken David Lloyd more than 60 years to write his first novel. It’s worth the wait. Let’s hope he does not leave it as long to write his second."