Cast & creator
Matthew Holness
Best known for The Office, Playhouse Presents, Playhouse Presents
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.
18
film credits
28
television credits
30
1997–2023 · acting roles
7.3
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (46)
Showing 46 of 46 credits
The Office
Simon
2001
Playhouse Presents
Writer
2012Playhouse Presents
Director
2012
The Russell Howard Hour
Garth Marenghi
2017
The Haunting of Bly Manor
Dominic Wingrave
2020
Friday Night Dinner
Chris Parker
2011
Toast of London
Max Gland
2013
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Garth Marenghi / Dr. Rick Dagless M.D.
2004Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Writer
2004Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Creator
2004
Year of the Rabbit
Hector, Crown Prince of Bulgaria
2019
We Are Lady Parts
Gameshow host
2021
Life's Too Short
Ian
2011
Toast of Tinseltown
Richard Chickentoss
2022
Back
Laurie
2017
Time Trumpet
2006
Man to Man with Dean Learner
Garth Marenghi
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Steve Pising
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Glynn Nimron
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Merriman Weir
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Amir Chanan
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Randolph Caer / Garth Marenghi / Glynn Nimron / Steve Pising / Amir Chanan
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Writer
2006Man to Man with Dean Learner
Creator
2006
Bruiser
2000Bruiser
Additional Writing
2000
Cemetery Junction
Band Leader
2010
Free Agents
2009
2004: The Stupid Version
Himself
2004
Possum
Writer
2018Possum
Director
2018
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
Self
2021
Darkplace Illuminatum
Garth Marenghi
2006Darkplace Illuminatum
Writer
2006
Horrificata Illuminata
Garth Marenghi
2006Horrificata Illuminata
Writer
2006
Dodger Special: Bad Egg
Sir Denholm Havers
2023
Festival
Roger - Lighting Man
2005
The Snipist
Director
2012The Snipist
Writer
2012
Italia Violenta
2015
A Gun for George
Terry / George / The Reprisalizer
2011A Gun for George
Music
2011A Gun for George
Director
2011A Gun for George
Writer
2011Backstage... at the Cambridge Footlights
Self
1997