Inspector George Gently star Lee Ingleby has revealed it is “exciting” yet “nerve-wracking” to be the new voice of Bob The Builder.

The 39-year-old actor, whose screen credits include Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, takes over from Neil Morrissey to voice the DIY man in the 19th series of the show, which debuted on Channel 5′s Milkshake today.

Bob The Builder
The new Bob The Builder (HIT Entertainment)

“It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking to be voicing such a well-loved character,” Lee said.

“Capturing a child’s imagination is such an important part of life development so I’m always trying to bring the character to life in the best way I can and help to make the show as engaging and entertaining as possible. I think Bob The Builder is fun, colourful and educational, so hopefully I’m adding to that.”

Lee joked he isn’t a DIY fan like his animated alter-ego, created by Keith Chapman in 1998.

“I wish I was half as good at DIY as Bob is but unfortunately it’s not one of my fortes!” he said.

Downton Abbey actress Joanne Froggatt lends her voice to Bob’s business partner Wendy, while Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison voices backhoe loader machine Scoop in the new-look Bob The Builder.

“Not having your co-stars in front of you has been something for me to get used to but we make it work by playing back recordings from the other characters to get the tone and conversation right,” Lee explained.

The new Bob The Builder and his team
The new Bob The Builder and his team (HIT Entertainment)

The actor has also been researching for his role by tuning into older episodes of Bob The Builder.

“I’ve watched a lot of the original Bob The Builder! My little nephew is a huge fan of Bob so he would always jump at the chance to watch it,” he said.

“Animation is very different from anything I’ve done before and preparing for studio recording was an unusual experience at first, but it’s easy to get immersed in the world of Bob and his friends and I soon got the hang of it. It’s fun to do.”

Bob The Builder airs at 7.20am on weekdays, as part of Channel 5′s Milkshake.