Mark Heap

Mark Heap
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1987–present

Mark Heap (born 13 May 1957) is an English actor. He began his acting career in the 1980s, as a member of the Medieval Players: a touring company performing medieval and early modern theatre, and featuring spectacular stilt-walking, juggling and puppetry. After its demise, he became part of the street theatre duo The Two Marks (with Mark Saban) who appeared on television shows Ghost Train and 321. He is perhaps best known for a variety of television comedy roles, often playing obsessive and self-deluded characters, including struggling artist Brian Topp in Spaced, the pompous Dr. Alan Statham in Green Wing, and various roles in the sketch show Big Train. He has worked in a number of ventures with Chris Morris, appearing in Jam, its radio predecessor Blue Jam, and the documentary parody series Brass Eye.

Heap voiced the lead character of Eric in the animated comedy Stressed Eric. Other recurring roles included Terry Roche in Paul Whitehouse's comedy-drama Happiness and Derek Few in How Do You Want Me?. He played Eliza's husband in The Eliza Stories (by Barry Pain, adapted by Jonathan Dryden Taylor), broadcast on BBC Radio 4, October 2006, and appeared as Marmite the Dwarf, in the short-lived BBC Radio 4 sitcom The Sofa of Time.

In the film About a Boy, Heap played a school teacher. Alongside Kevin Eldon, he played 'Man with dog' in Tim Burton's 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also guested in the second series of the BBC comedy Look Around You as Leonard Hatred, and starred in the music video for Four Tet's single "Smile Around The Face" in 2005. Heap also played a minor role in the 2006 film Confetti as the marriage registrar. He played an injured fairground patron in Tunnel of Love (2004), which also starred Jack Dee. In March 2007 he appeared in the BBC One drama Hotel Babylon as an unsuccessful businessman who became a bellboy. He plays the part of the prince Tertius in the 2007 film Stardust. Between 2008 and 2010 he appeared in 32 episodes of the BBC period drama Lark Rise to Candleford as head postman Thomas Brown, as well as super villain Lightkiller in an episode of the sitcom No Heroics. He also appears as the dad of Chris Miles in the Channel 4 programme Skins. Heap played the love interest of the main character in the second series of the BBC comedy Love Soup. In 2008 he co-starred in the surreal sci-fi film Captain Eager and the Mark of Voth.

In 2008 Heap played the role of Widmerpool in a BBC Radio 4 serialisation of A Dance to the Music of Time. He played the role of Charles Dickens in the 2009 BBC Two drama Desperate Romantics, as well as appearing as a car salesman in a SEAT television advert. Also in 2009 he played Jessica Hynes' husband in the comedy pilot Lizzie & Sarah written by Hynes and Julia Davis.

In 2010 he appeared as the leader of a rambling group in the BBC4 series The Great Outdoors.