Baker reflects on 'Mentalist' success

Simon Baker has spoken about the moment that he knew he had made it as an actor.

The Mentalist star appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman to promote the CBS drama's second season, which kicked off earlier this week in the US.

He said: "When you're working you're so busy that you're sort of living in a hermetically-sealed environment. During my summer break I shot a little film in Oklahoma. We were shooting out in a little tiny town called Cordell.

"Literally the whole town emptied out into this square and waited 'til 3am for us to come out of the building that we were shooting in. [All because of] the show."

Asked if the series had changed his life, Baker replied: "Yep. It's big."

The Mentalist, which follows the star as an independent consultant for a California crime bureau, airs Thursdays at 10pm on CBS. Five is yet to confirm an October start date for the show's second season in the UK.