Matthew Holness
Known For: Acting
Biography
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
2023
- Dodger Special: Bad Egg as Sir Denholm Havers
2022
- Toast of Tinseltown as Richard Chickentoss
2021
- Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel as Himself
- We Are Lady Parts as Gameshow host
2020
- The Haunting of Bly Manor as Dominic Wingrave
2019
- Year of the Rabbit as Hector, Crown Prince of Bulgaria
2018
- Possum ... (Writer)
2017
- The Russell Howard Hour as Garth Marenghi
- Back as Laurie
2015
2013
- Toast of London as Max Gland
2012
- Playhouse Presents ... (Writer)
- The Snipist ... (Director)
2011
- Friday Night Dinner as Chris Parker
- Life's Too Short as Ian
- A Gun for George as Terry / George / The Reprisalizer
2010
- Cemetery Junction as Band Leader
2009
2006
- Time Trumpet
- Man to Man with Dean Learner as Garth Marenghi
2005
- Festival as Roger - Lighting Man
2004
- Garth Marenghi's Darkplace as Garth Marenghi / Dr. Rick Dagless M.D.
- 2004: The Stupid Version as Himself
2001
- The Office as Simon