Protection viewers stunned as they figure out where they’ve seen DI Bewley before – and he’s a Gavin and Stacey star

FANS of ITV thriller Protection have been left gobsmacked after realising where they've previously seen the familiar face of DI Bewley.

Viewers took to social media to express their surprise when eagle-eyed users put two and two together, and made their own impressive discovery.

DI Richard Bewley – otherwise known as actor Andrew Knott – has starred in none other than BBC's much-loved sitcom Gavin and Stacey.

The actor played Smithy's friend Dirtbox between 2007 to 2024 in five episodes and appeared in the Christmas special last year.

Fans inquired on X: “Where have I seen DI Richard Bewley before?”

Another asked: “Why does he look so familiar?”

One savvy user commented on the social media site: “What’s occurring?!! It’s Dirtbox doing the interview!!”

“Thought I recognised Dirtbox!” noted a second.

“No way it is!” exclaimed a third viewer.

Andrew has also graced the small screen in 1993's The Secret Garden alongside the late Dame Maggie Smith, Black Mirror, Silent Witness and Grantchester.

Plus dramas including Waterloo Road, Ackley Bridge, Where the Heart Is and Casualty.

The six-episode ITV series Protection kicked off in March with a bang.

It follows Detective Inspector Liz Nyles, played by Siobhan Finneran, and is based on the real-life experiences of a witness protection officer – and what happens when the system breaks down.

Finneran stars alongside Champion's Nadine Marshall and Coronation StreetstarKatherine Kelly.

Protection's cast also includes stars of Sex Education, Bad Sisters and Silent Witness.

Barry Ward, Chaneil Kular, Nichola Burley, Akiya Henry and David Hayman complete the lineup.

Finneran's Detective Inspector Nyles is exposed to a breach when an affair with a colleague leaves her compromised.

When a family she is looking after fall foul to a deadly game, she must take a frightened and traumatised 12-year-old girl under her wing who may prove more vital to piecing together this mystery than she could have ever realised.

The detective is left determined to fight back and find out who the source of corruption is within her unit.

Speaking about the show, its screenwriter Kris Mrksa said previously: “Protection is a suspenseful conspiracy thriller, but it also explores some complex moral questions, about how far we should be prepared to go in order to serve the greater good…

“The murky world of witness protection, where hardened criminals are often sheltered, in the hope that they will help bring down other criminals, provides the perfect context for examining these thorny issues.”