DRESSED to THRILL

Mark Benton plays a big-hearted drag queen in an irreverent new sitcom

- MICHAEL DARLING, ALSION SLADE

NEW COMEDY Smoggie Queens Thursday, 10.10pm & 10.40pm, BBC3 (box set, BBC iPlayer)

We've seen Mark Benton as various characters over the years - from stressed teacher Daniel Chalk in Waterloo Road to oddball detective Frank Hathaway in Shakespeare & Hathaway. But we've never seen him play anyone like his character in new comedy Smoggie Queens.

In the quirky six-parter, Benton plays drag queen Mam, who gets into all kinds of scrapes with a bunch of pals in Middlesbrough's LGBTQ+ community.

'Mam's the centre of the group because her house is where they all meet, explains Benton, 59. 'She's the mother hen, and she's got a heart of gold. The characters are a chosen family and we love each other and look out for each other.

We go on a journey with each other's problems, and the things we get up to are hilarious and daft.