Larry Hagman arrives at the Channel 5 Dallas launch party at Old Billinsgate in London PIC: Ian West/PA Wire

Stars of the classic US soap opera Dallas reunited in London to mark the arrival of a new series.

A new 10-part series about the struggles of the oil-rich Ewing clan is set to air on Channel 5 next month.

Former star Larry Hagman shall reprise his iconic role as JR Ewing, along with Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray.

Jesse Metcalfe, from Desperate Housewives, plays Christopher Ewing in the new Dallas series.

He said: “I think Desperate Housewives definitely took its cue from the original Dallas. There’s no doubt about that.

“But I think that Desperate Housewives in some respects is responsible for reopening the door for more scripted drama and more night-time soap operas.

“I think that being on the heels of Desperate Housewives is why the new Dallas was possible.”

Among Dallas’s famous fans at the series launch was The Who singer Roger Daltrey, who revealed the band’s former drummer Keith Moon was a friend of Hagman.

Daltrey, who recently performed at the Olympic closing ceremony, said: “It (Dallas) was just wonderful escapism and they were such well drawn characters.

“They were people you meet every day in the office I’m sure. But they transposed it to this ranch in Dallas. It was extremely good writing.”