DAVID Soul was an icon of the 1970s. He was the "blond one" in the Starsky and Hutch phenomenon that created the mould for a new style of detective show.

He could do no wrong. The programme rocketed in ratings, and when he released his records they shot to the top of the charts.

So his subsequent years away from the limelight, only to re-emerge in English theatre and "grass roots politics" in the leafy suburbs may well have come as a shock to fans.

But as the actor prepares to appear on stage in a touring play, he reveals how his so-called digression was really nothing new.

He said: "I had always been active in community life and was very much involved in 1960 presidential campaign back in my home state in America.

"As a young Democrat I was one of those who managed to swing the vote in South Dakota, where I am from, using the Kennedy banner. Kennedy inspired a whole generation of people.

"I live in North London now but Martin Bell is a very, very close friend of mine and when he stood in Tatton he rang me. My first reaction was one of shock, but I told him if you need help, call me.

"He did, and in 1997 I spent what felt like a lifetime, but was only three weeks in Tatton campaigning. I got to know the area very well. We would walk up and down the streets, knocking on doors. It was real grass roots politics.

"Martin carried a basic idea -- he was a principled journalist, so why couldn't he be a principled politician? He pushed people into independent thinking which is really important."

David has residency status in England, and says it was the theatre which attracted him to the country. He is currently touring with Ira Levin's thriller, Deathtrap, in which he stars alongside Susan Penhaligon and Casualty's Gerald Kyd.

Asked how he felt about touring, he joked: "Touring at my age? I am not sure I can handle it.

"It is an obvious grind, but tours have helped me see such a cross section of the country. It has also helped me understand how deeply integrated into the community theatre is, yet how it is the first thing that the city councils dump to save money because they are considered a luxury.

"Theatre is embedded into the English community like pubs, football teams and churches."

It all seems a million miles away from the heady days of Starsky and Hutch.

David said: "When we started Starsky and Hutch we had no idea how popular it would become. It was never packaged in that way, but I believe an audience will come and find you if you are good enough. It was made at a time when television and films were made by film makers. Now lawyers run the shows.

"They were happy days.

"Do I still see Paul Michael Glaser (who played Starsky)? He is my best friend.

"We all got on so well. There was also an enormous respect there. At first we really did not want to do television, but thought we might as well make the best of it."

David also revealed that his singing success did not come about by accident. He said: "I did start out as a singer, but never viewed myself as a pop star. I always thought of myself as a folk singer."

And his immediate plans?

"When this tour is finished I hope to spend time in the States with my kids. I will then wait to see if the play moves to the West End."