Doctor Who's Paul McGann lands new TV drama role

paul mcgann, doctor who
Doctor Who's Paul McGann lands new TV drama roleBBC

Doctor Who's Paul McGann has landed a new TV drama role.

The Eighth Doctor actor has signed on to appear in Alibi's Bookish, which stars and is co-created by fellow former Doctor Who actor Mark Gatiss.

Gatiss has penned the period crime drama with commentator and historian Matthew Sweet. Taking place in 1946 London, Bookish follows an eccentric bookshop owner (Gatiss) who helps the police solve unusual crimes.

Bookish is currently filming six episodes in Belgium, to air on Alibi in 2025. There will be three mysteries total, each split into two-parters.

paul mcgann, doctor who
Paul McGann in Doctor WhoBBC

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According to The Radio Times, McGann is set to appear in episodes five and six as the curiously-named character Mr Kind.

Additional guest stars for the first season include Tim McInnerny (One Day), Elizabeth Berrington (Lost Boys and Fairies), Mark Umbers (Hotel Portofino), and Angeliki Papoulia (The Lobster).

The recurring cast for Bookish features Bridgerton's Polly Walker as Trottie Book, as well as Daniel Mays (Line of Duty) and Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners).

The series will be a reunion for McGann and Gatiss, as the latter wrote the 2002 Doctor Who audio drama Invaders from Mars starring McGann as the Eighth Doctor.

mark gatiss
Mark GatissEamonn M. McCormack - Getty Images

"I couldn't be more excited to be bringing this series to the screen, and to plunge viewers into our intoxicating version of post-War London," Gatiss said.

"It's an under-examined time and an under-examined world and Bookish is the strange, funny and thrilling show that I've always wanted to make."

Aside from his iconic role in Doctor Who, McGann has also starred in Luther and Holby City in recent years.

Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

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