Max Beesley is a man ofmany parts - and notjust in acting terms.Music buffs will know

he is pals with RobbieWilliams, a friendship thatdates back to the days of TakeThat. While those who liketheir tabloid tattle will know hedated Mel B (aka Scary Spice)for several years and iscurrently stepping out withex-Footballers'Wives starSusie Amy.

But there are those whoknow Max best for his TVroles, most notably the title rolein the 1997adaptation of Tomlonesand, morerecently,asDr Rob Lake in the fantasticallydark hospitaldrama Bodies.

This week, Max plays policeofficerJake Bannerman inITV1's two-part thrillerBloodlines,written by MikeCullen (DoNovAn,The Vice).

'Bannerman is a young guy,'explains Max, 33. 'He's avery ambitious copper and heis desperate to make thedetective grade:

Are there any similarities?'He's supposed to be extremelyhandsome..: laughs Max.

The drama centres on ayoung, strong-willedpolicewoman Justine (EmmaPierson), who hasn't seen herfather Hopkin (KevinMcNally), a former CID officer,since he was jailed for murderwhen she was just a child. Nowhe has been released fromprison, and

shortly after, someone close toJustine is killed, which is whenshe turns to her colleagueBannerman for help.

Max is in a chirpy mood, andthat could well be attributed tothe success of Bodies,whichrecently aired on BBC2after afirst run on BBC3.'It's brilliantto appear

I

. The actor has dated a string of famouswomen including Mel B, actress Davinia Taylor,Melanie Sykes and Susie Amy.. His father, Max Snr, was a jazz musician andimpersonator, and his mother a jazz singer.. At 11, Max went off to the prestigiousChetham's School of Music in Manchester,and at 13 won a scholarship as aclassical percussionist.. One of his first jobs was touring with PaulWeller and his band The Style Council.. The star loves cooking and recently signed

, up for an intensive cookery course atRaymond Blanc's Le ManoirauxQuat' Saisons in Oxfordshire.

. Max played Knebworthas part of RobbieWilliams' backing group,in front of an audience

of more than 70,000.

in something that's successful:he says. 'I might not have beenofferedthepart in BloodlinesifBodieshadn't beena hit:

Playing Bannerman meantMax had to do his research.

'Scotland Yard helped meout. I went out with a murdersquad out in east London and , '

they have an 89 per cent ..." \'success rate. I was amazed by J--these guys' dedication. somr '

of the chaps were young, "

but you could see they'daged by about 10years:

Does Max aspire to the . At?Jj.Hollywoodstardom .- )t'~ m~teJudeLawis '-~ .

~'iI~

enJoymg?:

'I see Jude and 1love him to death, . .~ #and of course I'd '-

:o'.-e to be out there

earning SIOm a'J"o-;e- But a

ng-.asting career"'~.~ Guinness'-:.. .j.~ inr me!'