Mark's in league of his own

A book penned by top comedy actor and writer Mark Gatiss is to be turned into a thrilling telly series.
North-born Mark - one of the stars of The League of Gentlemen - won a best newcomer nomination in the 2006 British Book Awards for his debut novel The Vesuvius Club, and his subsequent tome is proving popular too.
The story revolves around dandyish hero Lucifer Box, a fashionable Edwardian painter with a sideline in espionage, who infiltrates a secret crime ring while investigating the mysterious deaths of several scientists.
The BBC have confirmed they are developing a TV drama on the period adventure and, if it's successful, they'll also buy up the second Lucifer Box book -The Devil in Amber - as well as a third Mark is currently writing.
The project has not yet been cast but it is possible Mark himself will play the hero - as well as adapt his book for the small screen - having dress- ed as a dandy on his publicity tour for The Vesuvius Club.
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Unusual characters come easily to Mark, 40, who comes from School Aycliffe, County Durham, having entertained us as creepy butcher Hilary Briss and many other weird and wonderful creations in The League of Gentlemen, and tick-plagued Glenn Bulb in dark comedy Nighty Night.
He's also had success on the big screen, more recently in the movie adaptation of The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse and as legendary quizmaster Bamber Gascoigne in Starter For Ten.
Yet it was earlier this month that Mark, who now lives in London with his partner Ian and their dog Bunsen, achieved a childhood ambition . . . to star as a baddie in Doctor Who.
The former Woodham Comprehensive School pupil has penned many episodes of the hit series, but three weeks ago he wowed fans as a sinister 76-year-old scientist who turned back the clock to become a young man once again, with monstrous repercussions.
Mark said: "It was beyond exciting. I didn't know what to do. I didn't sleep at all the day I got the call. I thought `it's a brilliant part, great script, a proper meaty baddie role', so I was just delighted."