Very delighted to say I have another Christmas Ghost Story coming to @BBCFOUR A personal favourite: M.R. James' 'Martin's Close'. Starring Peter Capaldi, Sara Crowe, Simon Williams, Fisayo Akinade, Elliot Levey, James Holmes, Wilf Scolding and Jessica Temple. pic.twitter.com/81Li25pBc6— Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) August 21, 2019
Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Peter Capaldi will star in BBC Four's new Christmas ghost story special.
The network announced in a press release Wednesday that the 61-year-old British actor will star in Mark Gatiss' adaptation of the M.R. James short story Martin's Close.
Martin's Close takes place in 1684. The story follows John Martin, a squire on trial in front of Judge George Jeffreys for allegedly killing a young girl.
Capaldi will play Dolben, with Wilf Scolding as Martin, Elliot Levey as as Jeffreys, Simon Williams as Stanton, Sara Crowe as Sarah, James Holmes as Snell and Fisayo Akinade as William.
Martin's Close is a standalone 30-minute special that will air Dec. 25. Gatiss previously produced the Christmas ghost story specials Crooked House, The Tractate Middoth and The Dead Room for BBC Four.
"After the delightful success of last year's The Dead Room, it's a fantastic privilege to continue the tradition of the Christmas ghost story on BBC Four - and what better than one of my favourite stories by the master of them all, M.R. James?" Gatiss said in a statement.
Gatiss confirmed the news in a tweet Wednesday.
"Very delighted to say I have another Christmas Ghost Story coming to @BBCFOUR. A personal favourite: M.R. James' 'Martin's Close,'" he wrote.
Capaldi played the title character in three seasons of the BBC One series Doctor Who. He will also star in the upcoming film The Personal History of David Copperfield with Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie.
