Who is actually limping - Inspector Morse, the character, or John Thaw the actor?

Mike Allen, Alvechurch, UK

• I believe that John Thaw suffered from polio as a child, hence the limp.

  Graham Ralph, Gravesend

• It is the character. In the Morse books Endeavour Morse is described as walking with a slight limp. John himself does not limp nor does he normally speak with a dreadful Yorkshire accent as in that terrible QC program. I believe they call it "acting".

  JQ, Bristol, UK

• I believe that I am correct in saying that, in fact, John Thaw only has one leg.

  Dave Baxter, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

• I believe John Thaw broke his leg during the filming of one of the Sweeney films, and it had to be incorporated into the story quickly to keep the cameras rolling. I have always thought this was the reason for the limp.

  Chris Quinn, Widnes UK

• I believe he keeps his wallet in his right shoe when working on location - the extra weight and bulkiness makes his right leg longer, creating the illusion of a limp in his left leg. (Industry Gossip)

  Ian, Perth, Australia

• John Thaw certainly does have a slight limp in real life, although I neither know nor care how he got it. I don't recall if Colin Dexter ever refers to Morse limping in any of the books, but if he does, he might have well have mentioned this only after John Thaw started playing the role on television. Colin Dexter admits to giving Morse and Lewis some of John Thaw's and Kevin Whateley's attributes because he was so impressed by their performances. In the pre-TV Morse books, for instance, Sgt Lewis is about the same age as Morse, whereas in the later novels there is quite definitely a significant age gap between them.

  Joanne Sheppard, London

• I've just read my first 3 Morse novels and am interested in the characters' changing over time in the books. In the first book, there's a scene in which Morse suggests that Lewis will be more insightful when he has a bit more experience, and Lewis's silent rejoinder is that he already has 4 or 5 years on Morse in that regard. Not conclusive on the question of relative age, but not suggestive of the age difference we see in the television series, which I find a very enjoyable aspect of the show. Have greatly enjoyed the Lewis mysteries just now appearing on BBC and PBS on America!

  Mike Balog, Texas, US

• I am disabled, I had TB hip as a child went to a handicapped school, and I know polio when i see it, lots of kids had it at my school. John must have had it as a kid but was cured but left him with a slight limp, as Regan would say 'end of'.

  peter, deptford uk

• John Thaw had dropfoot caused by a back problem. When a disc presses against the spinal cord it can cause nerve damage, if surgery is done in time and the nerve damage isn't too bad the dropfoot will disappear. I know this is true as my husband suffered from this and his surgeon told him.

  Georgina , Kelso UK

• I dont know. I was trying to establish that, but found most of the answers bordered on the ridiculous and even the hilarious... nothing on the net regarding celebs/actors is taken seriously...seriously. I had a really good laugh at some of the responses.

  val spence, chicago usa

• John thaw has got foot drop. It's his right leg affected, or was because as we all know he's no longer with us. God rest his soul. His right foot dropped in the TV show Morse, also in the drama, Goodnight Mr Tom. This foot drop was by no means put on. Why do I know, because I suffer with the same or at least similar condition.

  Mr. Ford, Norfolk UK