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