It looks like some of naive young copper PC Clark's scatty tendencies
may have been rubbing off on Mark Stobbart.
Ìý
After a runaway car incident during filming, the embarrassed actor
admits he has been unceremoniously relieved of his
on-screen driving duties.
Ìý
"I had to do an emergency stop on a hill, get out of the car with Astel
and leg it after some crooks on foot. Anyway, so there we were chasing
away, when I looked behind me and the car was rolling down the hill
after us towards the traffic lights. How embarrassing and shameful is
that?" groans Mark.
Ìý
"Clark started the series as the driver, but after that he suddenly
always seemed to be in the passenger seat. They won't let me behind
the wheel anymore, but I still maintain I did put the handbrake on.
I remember doing it. There must be something wrong with the car or,
erm, something like that..."
Ìý
This series sees Clark growing up - and when he takes on the running
of the community youth group, his new responsibilities give him a renewed
confidence in his ability.
Ìý
Impressed by his willingness and efforts, new DI Bing (Mark
Lewis Jones) lavishes lots of attention and praise on the young
PC. Attention that his partner, Astel (Andrew Dunn),
would love from the new boss.
Ìý
Despite this, there remains a close bond between Clark and Astel. "Clark
gets roped into running a youth club by Nicky and Claire Maxwell. They
trick him into it really, making out he's the most important and impressive
PC ever to work for Tyneside police, and flattering him until he agrees
to take it on.
Ìý
"But as he gets into the job it's clear he's actually very good
at it, and he helps a couple of kids. Okay, he's a bit daft, but he's
also a really nice guy and I think the kids in the club can see that,"
explains Mark, whose acting credits include Auf Wiedershen Pet, All
About Me and The Last Detective.
Ìý
"Despite his new found sense of importance, Clark still looks up to
Astel in every way. Although Astel will always put Clark down, he needs
Clark for support and reassurance, just as much as Clark needs him.
Ìý
"But I don't think he's as much in awe of Astel this series, and
as the episodes progress there's a bit more antagonism. They're still
a really good double act, but there's a bit more fall-out in there -
just like a real married couple," laughs Mark.
Ìý
"In many ways we are the light relief in the show, and this series
viewers are going to see a lot more of Clark and Astel as our parts
have been really bigged up, which is such a nice feeling.
Ìý
"They are both really quirky - Clark can be away with the fairies
sometimes and Astel always thinks he's right. I think viewers just really
liked the fact they made them laugh."
Ìý
Mark - who grew up in Stockton-On-Tees - says some of his favourite
moments of filming 55 Degrees North have been the chase sequences around
the streets of Newcastle.
Ìý
"There was one scene where I had to run down a cobbled street, chasing
a little lad, and I thought I'd flown down there like James Bond. You
know, jumping over a big bin, bounding out of the way of a moving car
and stuff like that.
Ìý
" I couldn't wait to see how it turned out, but when I watched
it back the huge bin I thought I'd jumped was in fact tiny and I didn't
look like James Bond at all. Well, I have only got little legs..." he
adds.
Ìý
But it still sounds a lot more exciting than Mark's very first job
out of drama school - playing a tree in a stage adaptation of The Lion,
The Witch And The Wardrobe.
Ìý
"I stood there, being a tree, just doing nothing, for nearly six months.
It was excruciating. And it wasn't just a tree, but a tree on stilts.
Imagine that? In the end I was given two verbal warnings for trying
to make the tree too expressive. I started waving my arms so much it
looked like I was Torvill and Dean doing the Bolero."
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