Hugh Dennis

Hugh Dennis (born 13 February 1962), born Peter Hugh Dennis, is an English comedian, presenter, actor, impressionist and writer. He was a panellist in every episode of the original run of Mock the Week from 2005 until 2022, and is one half of the double act Punt and Dennis alongside Steve Punt. He uses his middle name Hugh as his stage name because the actor Peter Dennis was already a member of the performing arts union Equity.

Dennis was born in Kettering, the son of a schoolteacher and an Anglican priest who later became a bishop, and grew up in the Mill Hill suburb of London. He was educated at University College School and read for the Geographical Tripos at St John's College, Cambridge, where he joined the Footlights and first met Steve Punt and Nick Hancock. After graduating with a first class honours degree, he worked for Unilever for six years as a brand manager of Lynx deodorant while performing comedy with Punt at venues including The Comedy Store, before pursuing comedy full-time after the success of the radio show The Mary Whitehouse Experience.

As an impressionist, Dennis did voices for Spitting Image, and his radio work with Punt includes the satirical comedy The Now Show. He has starred in sitcoms including My Hero (2000-2006) as Dr Piers Crispin, Outnumbered (2007-2014, 2016, 2024) as Pete Brockman, Not Going Out (2014-2023) as Toby, and Fleabag (2016) as the Bank Manager. He has presented the community archaeology television show The Great British Dig since 2020, and his role in Outnumbered earned him a BAFTA nomination for the 2009 Christmas special.