▁of ▁an ▁upper - class ▁advent urer ▁with ▁a ▁" tr end y " ▁woman ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁par alle ls ▁have ▁been ▁drawn ▁with ▁compet itor ▁I TV ' s ▁The ▁Aven gers . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁similarity ▁with ▁Gran ada ' s ▁Mr . ▁Rose ▁( 1 9 6 7 ) ▁in ▁which ▁William ▁Mer v yn ▁as ▁a ▁retired ▁police ▁inspect or ▁was ▁assist ed ▁by ▁a ▁young ish ▁confident ial ▁secretary ▁( G ill ian ▁Lewis ) ▁and ▁a ▁m ans erv ant ▁( Donald ▁Web ster ). ▁However , ▁because ▁Adam ▁Adam ant ▁was ▁a ▁last - min ute ▁replacement ▁for ▁another ▁concept , ▁the ▁degree ▁to ▁which ▁the ▁BBC ▁intended ▁such ▁similar ities ▁with ▁The ▁Aven gers ▁is ▁unclear . ▁One ▁recent ▁statement ▁has ▁directly ▁addressed ▁the ▁issue : ▁ ▁However , ▁a ▁rev iewer ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁BBC ▁Four ▁ret ros pective ▁The ▁Cult ▁of ▁... ▁Adam ▁Adam ant ▁L ives ! ▁detected ▁something ▁more ▁to ▁the ▁issue ▁when ▁Lam bert ▁and ▁other ▁princip als ▁were ▁interview ed ▁on ▁camera : ▁▁ ▁This ▁latter ▁view ▁has ▁been ▁echo ed ▁by ▁fans ▁of ▁The ▁Aven gers . ▁Indeed , ▁an ▁Aven gers - bi ased ▁bi ography ▁of ▁Adam ant ▁star ▁Ger ald ▁Har per , ▁who ▁also ▁frequently ▁guest - star red ▁on ▁the ▁I TV ▁show , ▁flat ly ▁calls ▁Adam ant ▁" un ash amed ly ▁model led ▁on ▁The ▁Aven gers ".