Silent FRIGHT

Rory Kinnear and Mark Gatiss on why a ghost story is perfect festive viewing

- SEAN MARLAND

THE MEZZOTINT

NEW

CHRISTMAS EVE / BBC2 / 10.30PM / DRAMA

Spine-tingling ghost stories are as much a part of Christmas as mince pies and mulled wine. And this year, Sherlock co-creator and star Mark Gatiss upholds that festive tradition by bringing another of MR James’ classic chillers, The Mezzotint, to our screens.

The 30-minute adaptation begins in 1922 in the heart of an old English college, where lecturer Edward Williams (played by Ridley Road ’s Rory Kinnear) receives an engraving of an unknown country house, only to find the picture comes with a disturbing history.

TV Times caught up with Mark, 55, who also directed the drama, and Rory, 43, to find out more...

Why did this particular tale appeal to you, Mark?

MARK I’d actually written an original ghost story of my own, but it was very grim and set in a hospital, which probably wouldn’t be quite right for this Christmas. So I thought another MR James story would be just what we needed [Mark adapted The Tractate Middoth in 2013 and Martin’s Close in 2019 for the BBC at Christmas].