Widely known for his TV adverts for the Nationwide building society, North-East actor Mark Benton is back on proper telly in the BBC3 comedy series, I'm With Stupid.

He talks to Steve Pratt about growing up in Grangetown and how being a big guy is a big deal.

GUISBOROUGH-born actor Mark Benton hardly ever seems to be off TV screens with roles in Early Doors, Northern Lights, Planespotting and Vic And Bob In Catterick.

But it's another part that gets him most recognised in the street - as a bank clerk in adverts for the Nationwide building society. "Well, they're good adverts and people like them," he says.

"They're like little comedies in themselves. I think all actors, from a vanity point of view, would like to be recognised for the roles which you're really proud of, but it's just lovely that people take the time to say they enjoyed your performance."

He's in "proper" TV in the BBC3 comedy series, I'm With Stupid, following a successful pilot episode last year. Benton heads the cast as Sheldon, a homeless man who strikes up an unlikely relationship with Paul, a wheelchair user, played by Paul Henshall from Holby City and A Thing Called Love.

Both are feeling rejected by society and both have something the other wants. Sheldon offers friendship to lonely Paul, while Paul provides Sheldon with a bed for the night away from sleeping rough on the streets. Together they enter the weird and wonderful world of Bramble Lodge, the sheltered accommodation where Paul lives.

I'm With Stupid, which continues the BBC's commitment to feature more actors with disabilities on screen, is written by Danny Peak, who went on to write Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps and My Hero after winning the BBC Talent new sitcom writers award in 2002.

The idea for the series originally came from 23-year-old writer Peter Keeley, who drew on his own experiences when he became story consultant for the series. He has cerebral palsy and has used a wheelchair from an early age.

"An odd couple comedy crossed with Steptoe And Son," is how Benton describes the series. "It's quite a traditional comedy and it's very warm. The tone and the warmth reminded me of Early Doors. You like all the characters even though some of them are buggers. We all get into various scams and adventures along the way.

"Paul is the divisive one, he's a bit devious and always landing Sheldon in it. It's Sheldon who tries to make things right and he ends up having to do the dirty work.

"At the heart of it are two people who really need each other, which is why it's really warm. They argue and they're always niggling, but in the end they need each other."

Benton grew up in Grangetown in the North-East. "It was basically a big council estate right between British Steel and ICI. My dad was from round the corner in South Bank, which also spawned such luminaries as Paul Daniels and Chris Rea, so I'm in good company," says the actor.

He was inspired to go into the profession by his uncle who's an actor. Then in his teenage years, he was always in bands or local plays and youth theatre. "I didn't want to do anything else," he says.

"When I spoke to the careers officer he just didn't have a clue what to say to me. He suggested being an engineer instead. Where I come from, at the time, acting was an odd thing to do."

He performed with Middlesbrough Youth Theatre and Stockton Youth Theatre, before training at technical college and then the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada).

The first time he tried to get into Rada at 18, he was turned down. Two years later he was "in a bit of a no man's land, I was on the dole" and tried again, deciding if he didn't get in he'd be a teacher instead.

"I was accepted and expected everyone to be dead posh and all kind of Merchant-Ivory, but they weren't at all," he says. "It was a really brilliant course and really down to earth. I loved it. I learnt a bit of humility at college and that it's the work that I love. I've got no ambition to be on Celebrity Duets."

His size - "I'm a big fella" - is no bar to getting work. Quite the opposite. There's always work for big characters, he says. "Somebody at college said I'd be typecast but I thought that if I'm typecast, at least I'm working.

"When I started off I was playing comedy coppers and I had a semi-regular comedy cameo in Boon, as the security guard. But I always tried to take serious parts as much as I could. Lots of people think I come from a comedy stand-up background, but I didn't. I always try to do both drama and comedy."

* I'm With Stupid starts on BBC3 on Sunday, September 10 at 10pm.