Recreating one of British sitcom’s most iconic characters could be a daunting task. But that’s not the case for actor Timothy Kightley, who takes to the stage at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre in Dad’s Army Marches On from June 21 to June 26.

I’m not trying to be Arthur Lowe,” said actor Timothy Kightley, with reverence to the actor who played Captain Mainwaring in the classic BBC comedy.

“It would be doomed to failure,” he added, coining one of the show’s popular catchphrases.

“I’m playing the wonderful character he created and am treating it as I would any other classic stage character.

“It helps being short, fat, old and balding — which I can do easily — and then you crank up the pomposity and put on the Army uniform which is not designed for short, fat, old, bald men: It’s immediately a comic image.

“But it’s all in the script.”

Dad’s Army Marches On features classic episodes, hand-picked by the legendary writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft, including Branded and Mum’s Army.

Kightley has returned to the role two years on from the first Dad’s Army tour The Lost Episodes — so named because the BBC erased the recordings of a number of episodes before they realised how successful the show would be.

About half of the cast has come back for this second outing, including ex-EastEnder Leslie Grantham as Private Walker, but there is a key addition to the cast: “We have women this time — hallelujah!” he said.

“We stuck a guy in a wig last time as there was only one woman. Mum’s Army’s when the platoon rashly invites women to join, thinking they will be happy to clean. It’s rather complicated when they teach drill and Mainwaring falls in love.

“It’s lovely to have them around.”

And while he may be playing one of TV’s best-loved veterans, he has no intention of retiring when he turns 65 two weeks after the tour ends in mid-July.

“It’s a tempting thought, but knowing the state of pensions, I’ll probably have to pick up any work I can get.

“After travelling with Dad’s Army for four or five months, the prospect of going home and staying there is very tempting: My garden’s been growing like mad during the spring so I can get that under control.”

With Dad’s Army retaining a fond place in many hearts, it’s unlikely the cast will have to hang up their boots and guns for a long while yet.

* Dad’s Army Marches On is at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool from Monday, June 21 to Saturday, June 26 (Monday at 8pm, Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2pm).