John Simm, Intruders, Monday, 9.00pm.

STAR PROFILE:

Best knownwn for: Playing Sam Tyler in Life on Mars. Early life: Born John Ronald Simm on July 10, 1970, , in Leeds. He was raised in n Nelson, Lancashire, cashire, and attended d Edge End High School. In 1986, agedd 16, Johnh enrolled at Blackpool Drama College, and two years later moved to London to study Stanislavsky’s acting methods at London’s Drama Centre. Career: Simm made his TV debut in a 1992 episode of Rumpole of the Bailey. He also appeared in Heartbeat, TV movie Meat, Dalziel and Pascoe’s first drama A Pinch of Snuff, Cracker and the film Boston Kickout. Simm became a familiar face thanks to acclaimed series The Lakes. He went on to appear in such projects as Human Traffic, 24 Hour Party People, Spaced, White Teeth, State of Play and Sex Traffic. Simm’s performance as troubled cop Sam Tyler in BBC hit Life on Mars made him a household name. Since then he’s appeared in Doctor Who, Mad Dogs, The Village, Mad Dogs and Prey. While continuing his work as an actor, during the 1990s he was also a founder member of the rock band Magic Alex. He’s also played alongside his friend, Echo and the Bunnymen star Ian McCulloch, on albums and live on stage. Trivia: His wife is actress Kate Magowan, who he worked with on the movies 24 Hour Party People and Devilwood. They have two children. Quote: On why he chose to make Life on Mars: “The mad twist at the start appealed to me. I thought, if I can make that believable I can make anything believable.”