Timothy Spall says 'it's hard' as he details challenges of new BBC comedy role

Timothy Spall has opened up about the "high expectations" he encountered ahead of his new BBC comedy drama, Death Valley.

Penned and created by Paul Doolan, this six-part murder mystery charts the unlikely crime-solving alliance between a quirky national treasure and a charming Welsh detective sergeant.

BAFTA award-winning actor Timothy portrays John Chapel, a retired actor and star of the popular fictional detective TV show Caesar, while Gwyneth Keyworth steps into the role of DS Janie Mallowan.

Their paths intersect when John's neighbour is shockingly murdered in the show's opening scenes.

In their pursuit of truth, John and Janie unravel gripping murders each week, with various breathtaking Welsh locations serving as the backdrop to their investigations, reports .

"Despite their differences, they soon realise they are the closest thing each other has to a best friend, and unwittingly help one another move on from the past," the synopsis continues.

The show's impressive cast also features Steffan Rhodri, Melanie Walters, Alexandria Riley, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Sian Gibson, Patricia Hodge and Jim Howick.

At a press event for the series, Timothy discussed the challenges he faced transitioning into a more comedic role, following a string of recent drama appearances.

The actor notably starred in the BBC miniseries Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, as well as The Sixth Commandment and Summer of Rockets.

Timothy divulged the challenges of comedy, saying: "It's only hard because the expectation of making people laugh. Humour is big taste thing, some people like certain aspects of it and some people don't.

"The challenge is to try and play a character, however eccentric or supposedly funny they are."

Expanding on his character's depth, he conveyed, "They're based in a reality [where] he doesn't think he's funny in the slightest, he thinks he's a serious intellect, and rather a marvellous actor whose life is made worth because he's done it for a long time."

Timothy revelled in the opportunity to inhabit dual personas within the show, saying that playing two contrasting characters - the actor and his most famous role - was part of the show's appeal.

"It's nice to be able to play with that, someone who is a detective, and mess around with certain aspects of actors' [personalities], themselves, their skills and their conceits and over inflated versions of themselves," he said.

"It was nice to be able to play a character who was somewhat heightened," he added, referencing the impact of the legendary British series, No Hiding Place.

Death Valley will air on BBC One and BBC One Wales and stream on BBC iPlayer