Following his piloting of theSir Arthur Conan DoylestoryLot No. 249last Christmas, the marvelous mind ofMark Gatissis back yet again with anotherGhost Story For Christmas, the special BBC spooky holiday tradition. This year, the co-writer ofSherlockwill helm a tale based onE. Nesbit’sMan-Size In Marble, which will follow Victorian couple Jack (Éanna Hardwicke) and Laura (Phoebe Horn) whose arrival in a quaint village is tainted by the whispered superstitions of their housekeeper.
The episode, titled “Woman of Stone”, will seemingly be abrand-new project for Gatiss, although eagle-eyed fans of one of his other British franchise contributions,Doctor Who, may have noticed this somewhere before. This is because Gatiss has previously referenced the stories of Nesbit on the timey-wimey BBC show on which theLeague of Gentlemenmember has been a frequent contributor. Speaking viaRadio Times, Gatiss has given more insight into this connection between his work onDoctor Whoand the upcomingGhost Story, saying:
“E Nesbit’s Man-Size in Marble was the first ghost story I ever read, and it left a profound impression on me. I even referenced it in an episode of Doctor Who which I wrote for Peter Capaldi! I’ve wanted to adapt it before but the cost of constructing the marble tomb effigies was always slightly beyond us. Happily, this year we got a little cash injection which made it possible. Also, because last year’s story by Arthur Conan Doyle was entirely and deliberately male, I wanted a stark contrast. Nesbit was an incredible woman and a fascinating writer. The adaptation is called Woman of Stone as I’ve tried to draw out what I think are the themes of the story.”
Mark Gatiss' ‘Doctor Who’ Contribution is Greater Than Many May Think
Among the many high-profile franchises Gatiss has been a creative force in,Doctor Whois perhaps the biggest, withGatiss working on the series as an author, audio and screenwriter, audio and screen actor, documentary narrator, and documentary subject. Since the show’s 2005 revival, Gatiss has appeared in five episodes as an actor andcontributed nine scripts to the series, from Season 1, episode 3, “The Unquiet Dead” through to the 2017 Christmas special “Twice Upon a Time”. Gatiss is one of just a handful of people to have written and acted in the same episode ofDoctor Who, thanks to Season 5’s “Victory of the Daleks”, albeit with a brief cameo as a spitfire pilot.One of the unsung heroes of modernDoctor Who, Gatiss' impact should not go unnoticed.
Mark Gatiss' upcoming contribution toA Ghost Story For Christmaswill have a link toDoctor Who. Stay tuned to Collider for more Christmas television updates.
