Andrew Gower's life off-screen from hidden talent to Beatles obsession

Ellis is set to premiere on Channel 5, featuring Sharon D Clarke in the lead role and Andrew Gower as her trusted aide, DS Harper.

The 35-year-old actor from Merseyside, renowned for his roles as Cutler in Being Human and Prince Charles Stuart in Outlander, discovered his passion for acting during Year Nine at school.

Gower made his television debut in 2011 with ITV's medical drama Monroe, where he immersed himself in the role of Dr Andrew Mullery, a trainee heart surgeon, by observing two real coronary artery bypass surgeries.

Besides acting, Gower is an accomplished musician who founded the Manchester-based rock band Emerson in 2005, serving as the lead vocalist alongside Michael Collins on keyboards and James Webster on guitar.

His studies at the Oxford School of Drama meant putting his musical aspirations temporarily aside, although he hoped to reunite the band in the future, prioritising his acting career for the time being, reports the Mirror.

In a 2013 interview with the Liverpool Echo, Gower expressed his deep admiration for The Beatles and the thrill of performing at the Cavern, saying: "I'm obsessed, really obsessed, with The Beatles. I'm such a huge fan so playing the Cavern was amazing."

He added: "Obviously the acting is keeping me busy at the moment, but I just love writing songs and that buzz of gigging and, with the internet, we can still do a lot of stuff and work on songs wherever we are."

He subsequently formed a new band, Gustaffson, with Webster. They finished recording their debut album, Black and White Movie, in January this year.

Ellis airs on Channel 5 on Thursday at 8pm