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Matthew Holness
Whitstable, Kent, England
Born in Whitstable, Kent in 1975, Matthew Holness is an English comedian, actor, writer and director. He is best known for his comic creation, the fictional horror novelist Garth…
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Born in Whitstable, Kent in 1975, Matthew Holness is an English comedian, actor, writer and director. He is best known for his comic creation, the fictional horror novelist Garth Marenghi. He read English at Trinity College, Cambridge and was vice-president of the Cambridge Footlights. His contemporaries included Footlights president, David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Olivia Colman and his Marenghi co-writer Richard Ayoade. Holness first appeared on television as a cast-member of the 2000 BBC Choice TV series Bruiser, which starred Mitchell, Webb, Colman and Martin Freeman. In that same year he won the Perrier at the Edinburgh Fringe for Garty Marenghi's Fright Night, which was transferred to UK television in the guise of the 2004 Channel 4 horror comedy Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. Other credits include 2006's Man to Man with Dean Learner, several productions with Ricky Gervais such as The Office, Life's Too Short and Cemetery Junction, and the 2017 Channel 4 sitcom Back which starred Mitchell and Webb. In 2018 he made his feature length directorial debut with the film Possum, having previously helmed short films The Snipist and A Gun For George.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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2023
Dodger Special: Bad Egg
Movie Sir Denholm Havers
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2022
Toast of Tinseltown
TV show Richard Chickentoss
- 2021
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2021
We Are Lady Parts
TV show Gameshow host
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2020
The Haunting of Bly Manor
TV show Dominic Wingrave
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2019
Year of the Rabbit
TV show Hector, Crown Prince of Bulgaria
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2018
Possum
Movie Writer
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2017
The Russell Howard Hour
TV show Garth Marenghi
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2017
Back
TV show Laurie
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2015
Italia Violenta
Movie
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2013
Toast of London
TV show Max Gland
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2012
The Snipist
Movie Director
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2012
Playhouse Presents
TV show Writer
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2011
Life's Too Short
TV show Ian
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2011
A Gun for George
Movie Terry / George / The Reprisalizer
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2011
Friday Night Dinner
TV show Chris Parker
More credits
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2010
Cemetery Junction
Movie Band Leader
-
2009
Free Agents
TV show
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2006
Man to Man with Dean Learner
TV show Garth Marenghi
-
2006
Darkplace Illuminatum
Movie Garth Marenghi
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2006
Horrificata Illuminata
Movie Garth Marenghi
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2006
Time Trumpet
TV show
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2005
Festival
Movie Roger - Lighting Man
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2004
2004: The Stupid Version
TV show Himself
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2004
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
TV show Garth Marenghi / Dr. Rick Dagless M.D.
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2001
The Office
TV show Simon
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2000
Bruiser
TV show
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1997
Backstage... at the Cambridge Footlights
Movie Self
