Sherlock star and PCI graduate awarded Honorary Degree

Award-winning actor, writer and director Mark Gatiss OBE has been honoured with a degree from the University of Leeds

Award-winning actor, writer and director Mark Gatiss OBE – a graduate of the School of Performance and Cultural Studies – has been honoured with a degree from the University of Leeds.

Mark is perhaps best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen and for co-creating the award-winning BBC series Sherlock in which he starred as the titular character’s brother, Mycroft Holmes. He also wrote for and appeared in the modern revival of Doctor Who.  

Having had that opportunity to study was crucial for me and I am passionate about creating opportunity for others.

He studied Theatre Arts at Bretton Hall College in the Department of Dance and Theatre, which became the core of the School of Performance and Cultural Industries of the University of Leeds. 

This week Mark was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leeds to recognise his significant contributions to culture and performance.

After the ceremony, Mark attended a special event chaired by Professor Jonathan Pitches – Head of the School of Performance and Cultural Industries – celebrating Bretton Hall and its legacy in PCI. The event, held at stage@Leeds, brought together Mark Gatiss, his former tutors, more recent graduates, current and ex-staff and many graduates from Bretton Hall.

Assembled speakers and guests, including Mark Gatiss (3rd from left), celebrate the legacy of Bretton Hall

Mark Gatiss said:

“This is a very humbling and kind gesture. It means an awful lot to me to come back and receive a Doctorate. There is something different about the North and it is worth celebrating. It is a mindset, a unique sensibility. My advice to graduates is to persist, to keep going even when things don’t work out. When I was growing up, I was obsessed with TV. Having had that opportunity to study was crucial for me and I am passionate about creating opportunity for others.” 

Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Leeds, said:

“Mark has made an exceptional contribution to arts and culture, using his talent to entertain, enlighten and challenge audiences around the world. Mark embodies the energy, collaborative spirit and entrepreneurial ambition we hope all our graduates aspire to. He is a significant public force in shifting attitudes around inclusion and a key advocate for the arts and the north of England. We are honoured that Mark is now a part of our esteemed honorary graduate community.”  

Mark has won many prestigious awards over the years, including a BAFTA for Best Drama Series – Sherlock, which also earned him a Primetime Emmy award in Outstanding Television Movie. He earned the Laurence Olivier Best Actor award for his portrayal of Sir John Gielgud in The Motive and the Cue. He won another Olivier for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Three Days in the Country. 

He has written and directed A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone, which airs on BBC Two and iPlayer at 10.15pm on Christmas Eve this year. 

Mark Gatiss giving an interview at stage@Leeds following the award of his Honorary Degree

Further information 

Photo credit: Jonathan Turner 

For more information, please contact the University of Leeds press office at pressoffice@leeds.ac.uk.