Mark Heap Returns to Comedy in New BBC Sitcom with Dawn French

8 January 2026 Television and Comedy

A Beloved Comedy Actor Returns

Mark Heap (born 13 May 1957) is a British actor and comedian who has captured the hearts of British television audiences for decades. He appeared as struggling artist Brian Topp in Spaced (1999–2001), and the pompous Dr. Alan Statham in Green Wing (2004–07), establishing himself as a master of eccentric characters. Most recently, from 2011 to 2020, Heap played eccentric neighbour Jim Bell in the Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner, alongside Simon Bird, Paul Ritter, Tom Rosenthal and Tamsin Greig, a role that made him a household name.

New Project with Comedy Royalty

In exciting news for British comedy fans, production is underway on Can You Keep A Secret?, the new BBC One comedy series starring Dawn French and Mark Heap. In the six-part series, French plays widow Debbie Fendon – granny, lawn bowler, tinpot dictator – who will stop at nothing to make sure her family’s protected. Mark Heap plays her hermit-like husband William who unexpectedly dies, though the plot takes a darkly comic twist. Debbie isn’t actually a widow and William didn’t really die – he was just mistakenly declared dead and the two retirees found themselves staring down the barrel of an opportunity too good to pass up.

A Distinguished Career

Heap was born in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India, to an English father and American mother, the youngest of four boys. He began acting in the 1970s as a member of the Medieval Players, a touring company performing medieval and early modern theatre, and featuring stilt-walking, juggling and puppetry. Beyond television, film credits include About a Boy (2002), Stardust (2007), The World’s End (2013), Time Travel is Dangerous (2024).

Why This Matters

Mark Heap’s return to sitcom television represents a reunion of two comedy giants whose combined experience spans decades of British entertainment. His ability to portray wonderfully awkward and endearing characters has made him indispensable to British comedy. For fans who mourned the end of Friday Night Dinner in 2020, Can You Keep a Secret? offers a welcome return of Heap’s unique comedic talent. As production continues in 2025, audiences can look forward to seeing this versatile performer bring another memorable character to life alongside Dawn French in what promises to be one of the BBC’s most anticipated comedy offerings of 2026.