Matthew Holness
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.
Acting
TV
The Haunting of Bly Manor
as Dominic Wingrave
2020
TV
The Office
as Simon
2001
Movie
Cemetery Junction
as Band Leader
2010
TV
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
as Garth Marenghi / Dr. Rick Dagless M.D.
2004
TV
Friday Night Dinner
as Chris Parker
2011
TV
Life's Too Short
as Ian
2011
TV
Toast of London
as Max Gland
2013
TV
We Are Lady Parts
as Gameshow host
2021
TV
Year of the Rabbit
as Hector, Crown Prince of Bulgaria
2019
TV
Back
as Laurie
2017
TV
Man to Man with Dean Learner
as Garth Marenghi
2006
TV
Man to Man with Dean Learner
as Steve Pising
2006
TV
Man to Man with Dean Learner
as Glynn Nimron
2006
TV
Man to Man with Dean Learner
as Merriman Weir
2006
TV
Man to Man with Dean Learner
as Amir Chanan
2006
TV
Man to Man with Dean Learner
as Randolph Caer / Garth Marenghi / Glynn Nimron / Steve Pising / Amir Chanan
2006
TV
Toast of Tinseltown
as Richard Chickentoss
2022
TV
Time Trumpet
2006
Movie
Festival
as Roger - Lighting Man
2005
TV
The Russell Howard Hour
as Garth Marenghi
2017
TV
Bruiser
2000
TV
Free Agents
2009
Movie
A Gun for George
as Terry / George / The Reprisalizer
2011
Movie
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
as Self
2021