Not many people would be comfortable parading around Bournemouth’s busy gardens on a relatively warm day, in full Captain Hook regalia, snarling at a Seven Days photographer.

But Mark Benton doesn’t bat an eyelid. In fact, he is more concerned about which hand he should wear his hook on.

“I think I’ll go for my left, because I’m right handed,” he finally decides, “otherwise I won’t be able to hold anything on stage.”

He’s certainly taking his role as the iconic villain in this year’s Bournemouth Pavilion pantomime Peter Pan seriously.

But this is Mark’s first ever panto – so he wants to make a good impression.

“I think the producer has been trying to get me for a few years and I’ve not been free,” he explains.“This came up and he asked me and I just said ‘why not? It’ll be a great laugh’.

“I was thrilled when it was Captain Hook. I just want to have fun with it – panto is all about fun. There’s nothing better for me than to play the villain. Maybe the dame – they would be my favourite characters.

“I thrive on interaction with the audience. You don’t get much more interaction than in a panto.

“You want a bit back – not too much, mind. But I think it’s going to be great fun.”

As a northerner – he was born in Guisborough, North Yorkshire – 48-year-old Mark admits he’s never visited Bournemouth before, but is looking forward to his run in the town later this year.

“I’ve been to the New Forest, but I’ve never been to Bournemouth,” he says.

“But I had a look around today and it’s lovely. I’m looking forward to it. It’s all very exciting.”

Some of Mark’s early acting experience came with Middlesbrough Youth Theatre, but he has appeared in various TV comedies and dramas since, as well as a number of British films and in the advertisements for the Halifax bank.

This time last year he was deep in sequins as part of the 2013 team of celebrities taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.

“Since I finished Waterloo Road (Mark starred as maths teacher Daniel ‘Chalky’ Chalk in Waterloo Road from 2011 to 2013 and again in 2014), I’ve done a lot of really different stuff.

“I got so used to acting that I wanted some time away.

“I decided to do Hairspray on tour, then Strictly came along.”

Dad-of-three Mark and his partner Iveta Lukosiute, who is this year paired with rugby player-slash-model Thom Evans, were voted off in the tenth week, and Mark has nothing but fond memories of the show. “I didn’t realise I did enjoy it until the morning after I finished it,” he admits.“I was knackered. My knees were knackered, I needed a bit of time to get over it. I loved it.

“It’s a ridiculous job, it’s a buzz. I saw Iveta more than I saw my wife.

“You go to sleep thinking of dance steps, you wake up thinking of dance steps. I’ve been chatting to Iveta, I think she would kill me if I didn’t watch it this year.”

Once his run in panto finishes, Mark has a decision to make. “I’ve been offered a job that will last the whole of next year, but I don’t know if I want to be working the whole of next year,” he says.

“I took the summer off and it was really nice because I got to see my kids for the first summer ever. I want to keep my options open again.

“But this (panto) is a new challenge for me – all these things keep me going.”

Mark Benton is starring as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at Bournemouth’s Pavilion Theatre from December 6 to January 4.