Actor Ricky Tomlinson has claimed the late Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley was a member of the intelligence services.

Tomlinson, who starred alongside Caroline Aherne in the sitcom The Royle Family, believes Whiteley was an undercover agent for MI5 who helped him get sent to prison.

He made the bizarre claim about Whiteley during an interview marking the opening of a Wetherspoons pub in Chester.

Tomlinson, who was a plasterer before taking up a career in comedy, organised the national building workers’ strike in during the 70’s at the same pub.

In 1973, he was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of “conspiracy to intimidate” as one of the so-called Shrewsbury Two.

The 77-year-old actor believes the jury’s decision to convict him may have been influenced by an ITV documentary which was broadcast on the day they retired to deliver their verdict.

The documentary, Red Under the Bed, featured his "Shrewsbury Two" partner Des Warren and Tomlinson. It was presented by the late Whiteley and former politician Woodrow Wyatt, who died in 1997.

Tomlinson claims the film was “designed, written, made and paid for by the security services”.

Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures In character as Mrs Merton, the aging agony aunt Youtube/screengrab Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures The Royle Family was written Caroline Aherne, left, in character as Denise Royle Youtube/screengrab Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures 'Scorchio!' Caroline Aherne plays Chanel 9 weather girl Paula Fisch on The Fast Show Youtube/screengrab Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Caroline Aherne (seated second right) with fellow cast members of The Fast Show (standing left to right) Simon Day, John Thomson and Mark Williams, (seated left to right) Paul Whitehouse, Arabella Weir and Charlie Higson. Sean Dempsey/PA Wire Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Caroline Aherne attends the South Bank Awards Fiona Hanson/PA Wire Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Caroline Aherne (centre) with fellow stars of The Royle Family Liz Smith (left) and Sue Johnston after they won the Comedy Award at the South Bank Awards, Fiona Hanson/PA Wire Caroline Aherne: A life in pictures Caroline Aherne with her BAFTA award for Best Talk Show for the Mrs Merton Christmas Show Fiona Hanson/PA Wire

“I’ve got documents at home, which are printed ‘confidential’, ‘strictly confidential’, ‘not to be seen’, but it involves the likes of Ted Heath, Woodrow Wyatt," he told The Chester Chronicle.

"And we’ve just discovered that they made a film which went out on television the night the jury were out considering the verdict called Red Under the Bed and it was so anti-trade union that two of the jury changed their mind and brought a majority verdict in of 10-2 guilty.

"We found out this week that the film was designed, written, made and paid for by the security services. Woodrow Wyatt was a member of the security services and unbelievably so was Richard Whiteley who hosted the show. Richard Whiteley from Countdown was a member of the intelligence services.”