Peter Hugh Dennis (born 17 January 1962) is an English
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
,
comedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
,
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner
Steve PuntStephen Punt is a British writer, comedian and actor, best known for his long-time comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis. Punt lives in Wimbledon with his girlfriend and two children.-Early life:...
. He uses his middle name Hugh as his stage name, because Equity already had a Peter Dennis, who was on the management panel.
Dennis, whose father,
John DennisJohn Dennis was Bishop of Knaresborough from 1979 to 1986 and St Edmundsbury and Ipswich from 1986 to 1996. Retired, he is now an honorary assistant Bishop in Winchester Diocese. He is also the father of comedian Hugh Dennis....
, was the
Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and IpswichThe Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich in the Province of Canterbury....
, grew up in
Mill HillMill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross, in the ceremonial county of Greater London and the historic county of Middlesex...
in
North LondonNorth London is the northern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes.-Boundary Commission:At its widest extent, North London is the part of Greater London that is north of the River Thames...
. He was educated at
University College SchoolUniversity College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
, an
independent schoolAn independent school is a school which is independent in terms of its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some...
for boys in
HampsteadHampstead is an area of London, England, located north-west of Charing Cross. It is located within Inner London. It is part of the London Borough of Camden. It is known for its intellectual, artistic, musical and literary associations and for the large and hilly parkland Hampstead Heath...
where he was appointed head boy in his final year, and at
St John's CollegeSt John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college has fixed assets of £567,390,000, granting it the largest endowment per student of any Cambridge college...
,
CambridgeThe University of Cambridge , located in the City of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world and the fourth oldest in Europe...
, where he read
GeographyGeography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
.
Peter Hugh Dennis (born 17 January 1962) is an English
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
,
comedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
,
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner
Steve PuntStephen Punt is a British writer, comedian and actor, best known for his long-time comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis. Punt lives in Wimbledon with his girlfriend and two children.-Early life:...
. He uses his middle name Hugh as his stage name, because Equity already had a Peter Dennis, who was on the management panel.
Early life
Dennis, whose father,
John DennisJohn Dennis was Bishop of Knaresborough from 1979 to 1986 and St Edmundsbury and Ipswich from 1986 to 1996. Retired, he is now an honorary assistant Bishop in Winchester Diocese. He is also the father of comedian Hugh Dennis....
, was the
Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and IpswichThe Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich in the Province of Canterbury....
, grew up in
Mill HillMill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross, in the ceremonial county of Greater London and the historic county of Middlesex...
in
North LondonNorth London is the northern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes.-Boundary Commission:At its widest extent, North London is the part of Greater London that is north of the River Thames...
. He was educated at
University College SchoolUniversity College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
, an
independent schoolAn independent school is a school which is independent in terms of its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some...
for boys in
HampsteadHampstead is an area of London, England, located north-west of Charing Cross. It is located within Inner London. It is part of the London Borough of Camden. It is known for its intellectual, artistic, musical and literary associations and for the large and hilly parkland Hampstead Heath...
where he was appointed head boy in his final year, and at
St John's CollegeSt John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college has fixed assets of £567,390,000, granting it the largest endowment per student of any Cambridge college...
,
CambridgeThe University of Cambridge , located in the City of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world and the fourth oldest in Europe...
, where he read
GeographyGeography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
. He was a member of the
Cambridge FootlightsCambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England founded in 1883, run by the students of Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University....
, but after university worked for
UnileverUnilever is a multinational corporation, formed of British and Dutch parentage, that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products...
for six years. However, with Punt, whom he met at university, he continued performing comedy at venues including
London's Comedy StoreThe Comedy Store is a comedy club located in Soho, London, England that was opened in 1979 by Don Ward and Peter Rosengard.It was named after The Comedy Store club in the United States, which Rosengard visited the previous year...
. As mentioned on an episode of
Have I Got News For YouHave I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been running since 1990...
, he attended
University College SchoolUniversity College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
with
Will SelfWilliam Woodard Self is an English novelist, reviewer and columnist. He is known for his satirical, grotesque and fantastical novels and short stories.-Personal life:...
where they played
rugbyRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
together.
Radio and television career
A skilled
impressionistAn impressionist is a performer whose act consists of giving the "impression" of being someone else by imitating the other person's voice and mannerisms....
, Dennis did voices for
Spitting ImageSpitting Image was a British satirical puppet show which ran on the ITV television network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one, for editing, in 1989....
and appeared with Punt as resident support comics on two TV series hosted on the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
by
Jasper CarrottJasper Carrott OBE is a British comedian , actor and television presenter.-Early life:...
.
The pair then formed half of
The Mary Whitehouse ExperienceThe Mary Whitehouse Experience was a British topical sketch comedy show produced by the BBC in association with Spitting Image Productions. It starred two comedy double acts - David Baddiel and Rob Newman, and also Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, all of whom had graduated from Cambridge University...
on
BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the BBC which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock or interviews. It is aimed...
, later graduating to a television series. His radio work with Punt includes over a decade of performing
Punt and Dennis,
It's Been a Bad WeekIt’s Been a Bad Week is a British radio comedy on BBC Radio 2, first broadcast on 11 February 1999. It is presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, and is also referred to as Punt and Dennis: It's Been a Bad Week. More than 100 episodes have been broadcast , the latest series ending on 22 June 2006...
and
The Now ShowThe Now Show is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which satirises the week's news. The show is a mixture of stand-up, sketches and songs presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis...
and a current run of writing
The Party LineThe Party Line is a British radio sitcom, co-written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, and produced by Adam Bromley. It was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2005 and 2008. The show stars James Fleet as Duncan Stonebridge, a Member of Parliament for the imaginary constituency of...
(a topical political satire that is written and performed the day prior to transmission). On
The Now ShowThe Now Show is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which satirises the week's news. The show is a mixture of stand-up, sketches and songs presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis...
he is in a line up including Punt,
Mitch BennMitch Benn is a British musician of Liverpudlian/Scottish descent and stand-up comedian known for his humorous songs performed on BBC radio....
, Laura Shavin,
Jon HolmesJon Holmes is a seven time Sony award-winning British writer, comedian and broadcaster.- Early life :Born in Stratford upon Avon, Holmes was raised in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. He attended Canterbury Christ Church University, where he graduated with a joint degree in English with Radio, Film and...
and
Marcus BrigstockeMarcus Alexander Brigstocke is an English comedian and satirist who has worked extensively in stand-up comedy, television and radio...
.
Dennis has performed on various TV and radio shows, including
Mock the WeekMock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game, hosted by Dara Ó Briain. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment....
,
The Imaginatively Titled Punt and Dennis Show,
New Tricks in the episode "Fresh Start",
OutnumberedOutnumbered is a BAFTA nominated British sitcom that has aired on BBC One since 2007. It stars Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner as a mother and father who are outnumbered by their three children. Produced by Hat Trick Productions, Outnumbered is written, directed and produced by Andy Hamilton and Guy...
and sitcom
Me, You and HimMe, You and Him is a British television sitcom, that aired on ITV in 1992. It was made for the ITV network by ThamesIt was written by and starred Nick Hancock, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, all previously known - though particularly Punt and Dennis - for their work on the alternative comedy and...
. He has guest hosted
Have I Got News For YouHave I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been running since 1990...
and played obnoxious
GPA general practitioner or GP is a medical practitioner who provides primary care and specializes in family medicine. A general practitioner treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes...
Piers Crispin in BBC sitcom
My Hero. He is friends with
Chris MorrisImage:the_it_crowd_denholm.jpg|Chris Morris in The IT CrowdChristopher Morris is an English comedian, writer, director, actor and former radio DJ.Morris began his career in radio before moving into television...
and has had cameos on
Brass EyeBrass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A single series of six episodes aired on Channel 4 in 1997, with a further special episode in 2001....
.
In response to a news story in November 2003 about
Rupert MurdochKeith Rupert Murdoch, AC , usually known as Rupert Murdoch, is an Australian-born American global media mogul. He owns media outlets and is a major shareholder, chairman and managing director of News Corporation ....
giving jobs to his children, Hugh's son, then aged six, made a cameo appearance on
The Now Show.
Dennis took part in the 2007
L'Étape du TourL'Étape du Tour is an organised mass participation cyclosportive event that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same route as a Tour de France stage...
, cycling an open stage of the
Tour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race that covers approximately throughout France and bordering countries. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages. Individual times to finish each stage are totalled to...
for amateurs which was held in the mountains 2 weeks before the main event. This was discussed in the fifth series of
Mock the WeekMock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game, hosted by Dara Ó Briain. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment....
and also
QIQI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Until late 2008 it was first shown on BBC Two and repeated on BBC Four, with syndicated episodes of previous series shown on Dave...
series six, episode 5 'France'. He started in 2400th place of 8000 entrants, finishing in 3400th from 4000 who completed it, 5 hours behind the winner.
Since August 2007, Dennis has starred in the BBC comedy
OutnumberedOutnumbered is a BAFTA nominated British sitcom that has aired on BBC One since 2007. It stars Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner as a mother and father who are outnumbered by their three children. Produced by Hat Trick Productions, Outnumbered is written, directed and produced by Andy Hamilton and Guy...
, a semi-improvised sitcom based around family life.
Hugh is a regular panelist on
Mock The WeekMock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game, hosted by Dara Ó Briain. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment....
and has appeared in every episode. He has several running jokes on the series such as references to the dark lord
imhotepImhotep , fl. 27th century BC was an Egyptian polymath, who served under the Third Dynasty king, Djoser, as chancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis...
,repeated references to
ShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddy are a 1970s pop group from Leicester, England. They specialised in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s, and dressed as Teddy Boys.-History:...
with a
Jimmy SavileSir James Wilson Vincent Savile OBE, KCSG , commonly known as Jimmy Savile , is an English DJ, actor and media personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim'll Fix It, and for being the first and last presenter of the long-running BBC chart show Top of the Pops...
impersonation and often using the phrase from UK TV adverts "Are you paying too much for your car insurance?" in the segment "Scenes We'd Like To See". He also does voice-overs on political or royal videos from the week.
Personal life
Dennis lives in
FarnhamFarnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire. By road Guildford is 11 miles to the east, Aldershot 4 miles to the north-east and Winchester 28...
,
SurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford...
, with his wife, Catherine ("Kate") Abbot-Anderson whom he married in 1996. They have two children, a son called Freddie (born March 28 1997) and a daughter called Meg (born July 2 1999) who both go to an independent school.
On 10 July 2008, Dennis received an
Honorary FellowshipAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements...
from the
University of NorthamptonThe University of Northampton is a university in Northampton, Northamptonshire, UK.Formerly known as Nene College of Higher Education and then University College Northampton the University received full university status in 2005, though it had to convince the Privy Council that a Royal Decree...
.
External links