He's not brilliant, he never makes the role, a role, he's just always James Nebitt. Not for one minute when he's on screen does he absorb me in his character...ever. Maybe its his inability to shirk his accent, not sure.
Over the years on TV and in film I have always liked Naveem Andrews, Martin Clunes is pretty good, I have managed to get over the fact that he was in that bloody awful sitcom for the best part of my life.
Its hard to pick people who are sytematically picked to appear in these things so maybe Pauline Quirke or Caroline Quentin.