League star hoaxed children

League of Gentleman star Mark Gatiss has admitted he used to forge Rolf Harris's signature.

His actions would have hoodwinked unsuspecting children who wrote to Rolf's Cartoon Time expecting his autograph.

And he even confessed that he once sent one young fan one of Rolf's trademark 'Rolfaroo' logos - sporting a huge erection.

Speaking on Johnny Vaughan Tonight, Gatiss said: "At the time the show was the biggest thing in the world - Rolf was a very busy Australian.

"They had so many people stuffing envelopes and answering requests for autographs, and we just had to forge them.

"I drew one [of the Rolfaroos] with a very big erection and sent it out."

Gatiss was on the show with Steve Pemberton to promote the new series of The League Of Gentlemen, which starts in Thursday.

The pair also said that the show was the BBC's most exported show since Blackadder.

"It's particularly big in Eastern Europe," said Gatiss. "To them it's an aspirational programme."

Published: 24 Sep 2002