‘I was born to play this part'

As his BritBox hit comes to ITV, Ben Miller tells us why it’s the role of a lifetime

- ELAINE REILLY

PROFESSOR T

NEW SUNDAY / ITV / 9PM / EP 1 of 6 / DRAMA

Ben Miller has been a familiar face on our screens for three decades, but he admits his latest character holds a very special place in his heart.

Returning to his old stomping ground of Cambridge University (Ben quit studying for a Ph.D. in physics to pursue a career in show business), the actor plays eccentric criminology lecturer Jasper Tempest, who finds himself helping the police unravel complex cases, in new crime drama Professor T.

Based on a hit Belgian series of the same name, the six-parter launched on BritBox in June (and is still available on the service), and this week it makes its muchanticipated debut on ITV, in a prime-time Sunday night slot.

‘The initial reaction on BritBox has been incredible – hopefully, ITV viewers will enjoy it just as much,’ says our cover star Ben when he calls TV Times for a chat. ‘It really draws you in. There’s a lot to unravel with the main characters. Everybody has something going on!’

Here, in an exclusive – and typically candid – interview, Ben, 55, tells us what he thinks sets TV’s latest brilliant but brusque crime-fighter apart…

What makes Professor T such a special project for you?

I’ve never had a part like this. It feels quite close to me, although I’m not a criminologist! I truly feel it’s the part I was born to play.

Do you think this is because you studied in Cambridge and, like Jasper, have experienced OCD [Obsessive Compulsive Disorder]?