'House' creator reveals spinoff plans

House creator David Shore has confirmed that he is currently making plans for a spin-off show.

The planned series would focus on a private detective, played by former Six Feet Under actor Michael Weston, who will be introduced to viewers in the forthcoming fifth season.

"We brought in a character, partway through the year, Michael Weston as this private investigator House goes to," Shore told Newark Star-Ledger. "The spinoff would be less of a spinoff, it would be more us using House to launch it. It would be an independent world. A character out of the House mould, but definitely different."

"He appears very early in season five," Shore continued. "House is constantly sending people to break into people's homes, and he does it the right way in one episode. It's a character that only House could love."

Revealing the inspiration behind the project, he added: "I've always loved The Rockford Files."

House returns for its fifth season on September 16 in the US.