Hugh Dennis: Difference between revisions
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==Early life == |
==Early life == |
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Dennis, whose father, [[John Dennis (bishop)|John Dennis]], was the [[Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich]],<ref>[http://www.tv.com/hugh-dennis/person/54350/summary.html TV.com]</ref> grew up in [[Mill Hill]] in [[North London]], although he was born in [[Northamptonshire]]. He was educated at [[University College School]], an [[independent school]] for boys in [[Hampstead]] where he was appointed head boy in his final year, and at [[St John's College, Cambridge|St John's College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], where he read [[Geography]]. He was a member of the [[Footlights|Cambridge Footlights]], but after university worked for [[Unilever]] for six years. However, with Punt, whom he met at university, he continued performing comedy at venues including [[The Comedy Store, London|London's Comedy Store]]. As mentioned on an episode of ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'', he attended [[University College School]] with [[Will Self]] where they played [[rugby union|rugby]] together. |
Dennis, whose father, [[John Dennis (bishop)|John Dennis]], was the [[Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich]],<ref>[http://www.tv.com/hugh-dennis/person/54350/summary.html TV.com]</ref> grew up in [[Mill Hill]] in [[North London]], although he was born in [[Northamptonshire]]. He was educated at [[University College School]], an [[independent school]] for boys in [[Hampstead]] where he was appointed head boy in his final year, and at [[St John's College, Cambridge|St John's College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], where he read [[Geography]]. He was a member of the [[Footlights|Cambridge Footlights]], but after university worked for [[Unilever]] for six years. However, with Punt, whom he met at university, he continued performing comedy at venues including [[The Comedy Store, London|London's Comedy Store]]. As mentioned on an episode of ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'', he attended [[University College School]] with [[Will Self]] where they played [[rugby union|rugby]] together. He was also a female at birth. |
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While in final year of university he was approached by a member of the intelligence services and was invited to London for interview at which time he decided he did not want to take the matter further. He often makes jokes or references to his days as a 'spy'. |
While in final year of university he was approached by a member of the intelligence services and was invited to London for interview at which time he decided he did not want to take the matter further. He often makes jokes or references to his days as a 'spy'. |
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Revision as of 10:50, 10 December 2010
| Hugh Dennis | |
|---|---|
 Hugh Dennis on The Now Show | |
| Birth name | Peter Hugh Dennis |
| Born | 17 January 1962 Kettering, Northamptonshire, England |
| Medium | Stand up, television, radio |
| Nationality | English |
| Years active | 1980s – present |
| Genres | Topical comedy, improvisation |
| Spouse | Kate Abbot-Anderson |
| Notable works and roles | The Mary Whitehouse Experience, Mock The Week, Outnumbered |
Peter Hugh Dennis (born 17 January 1962) is an English actor, comedian, writer, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner Steve Punt. He uses his middle name Hugh as his stage name because Equity already had a Peter Dennis, who was on the management panel.[1]
Early life
Dennis, whose father, John Dennis, was the Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich,[2] grew up in Mill Hill in North London, although he was born in Northamptonshire. He was educated at University College School, an independent school for boys in Hampstead where he was appointed head boy in his final year, and at St John's College, Cambridge, where he read Geography. He was a member of the Cambridge Footlights, but after university worked for Unilever for six years. However, with Punt, whom he met at university, he continued performing comedy at venues including London's Comedy Store. As mentioned on an episode of Have I Got News For You, he attended University College School with Will Self where they played rugby together. He was also a female at birth.
While in final year of university he was approached by a member of the intelligence services and was invited to London for interview at which time he decided he did not want to take the matter further. He often makes jokes or references to his days as a 'spy'.
Radio and television career
While an impressionist, Dennis did voices for Spitting Image[3] and appeared with Punt as resident support comics on two TV series hosted on the BBC by Jasper Carrott.[4]
The pair then formed half of The Mary Whitehouse Experience on BBC Radio 1, 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 Week and The Now Show and a current run of writing The Party Line (a topical political satire that is written and performed the day prior to transmission). On The Now Show he is in a line-up including Punt, Mitch Benn, Laura Shavin, Jon Holmes and Marcus Brigstocke.
Dennis has performed on various TV and radio shows, including Mock the Week, The Imaginatively Titled Punt and Dennis Show, New Tricks in the episode "Fresh Start", Outnumbered and sitcom Me, You and Him, he has also appeared in Whose Line Is It Anyway?. He has guest hosted Have I Got News For You and played obnoxious GP Piers Crispin in BBC sitcom My Hero. He is friends with Chris Morris and has had cameos on Brass Eye. He has also done the narration for the CBBC show Sam and Mark's Guide To Dodging Disasters.
Dennis took part in the 2007 L'Étape du Tour, cycling an open stage of the Tour de France for amateurs which was held in the mountains 2 weeks before the main event. This was discussed in the fifth series of Mock the Week and also QI series six, episode 5 'France'. He started in 2,400th place of 8,000 entrants, finishing in 3,400th from 4,000 who completed it, 5 hours behind the winner.
Since August 2007, Dennis has starred in the BBC comedy Outnumbered, a semi-improvised sitcom based around family life.[5]
He is a panellist on Mock The Week and has appeared in every episode. He has several running jokes on the series such as references to the dark lord Imhotep, repeated references to Showaddywaddy with a Jimmy Savile impersonation, imitates Donald Pleasence in The Great Escape ("I can see. I can see perfectly") and often uses the phrase from UK television 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 in a round entitled Newsreel.
In December 2009, Dennis joined Oz Clarke in presenting the 60 minute Christmas special Oz and Hugh Drink to Christmas broadcast on BBC Two.[6]
Personal life
Dennis lives in walsall, West midlands[7] with his second 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).[8]
On 10 July 2008, Dennis received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Northampton.[9]
References
- ^ Hardwick, Viv (7 April 2007). "A headline act". The Northern Echo (Newsquest North East): p. 26.
- ^ TV.com
- ^ Deans, Jason (2004-05-17). "Spitting Image plans TV comeback". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
- ^ The Independent
- ^ "Outnumbered Press Pack". BBC. 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
- ^ "Oz And Hugh Drink To Christmas". BBC. 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
- ^ Look Hugh's going to be on the stage
- ^ Marriages England and Wales 1984-2005
- ^ Hugh Dennis welcomed to The University of Northampton Northampton.ac.uk