James Nesbitt played a role created for him by screenwriter and novelist Colin Bateman.
Colin Bateman ( known mononymously as Bateman ) is a novelist , screenwriter and former journalist from Bangor , County Down , Northern Ireland . James Nesbitt . Nesbitt has also starred in Murphy 's Law ( 2001 -- 2007 ) as undercover detective Tommy Murphy , in a role that was created for him by writer Colin Bateman .