Welsh comedian and actor
Greg Davies |
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 Davies in 2011 |
| Born | Gregory Daniel Davies
(1968-05-14) 14 May 1968 (age 55)
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| Education | Brunel University London |
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| Occupations |
- Comedian
- actor
- presenter
- writer
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| Years active | 2003–present |
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| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
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| Website | gregdavies.co.uk |
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Gregory Daniel Davies ( DAY-viss; born 14 May 1968) is a Welsh comedian, actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known for his roles as Greg in We Are Klang, Mr Gilbert in The Inbetweeners, Ken Thompson in Cuckoo, the Taskmaster in Taskmaster and Dan Davies in Man Down, and he currently writes and stars as Paul "Wicky" Wickstead in The Cleaner. He has appeared on Mock the Week, Fast and Loose, Live at the Apollo, and Would I Lie to You?.
For his performance in Cuckoo, Davies was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Male Comedy Performance in 2013.
Early life
Gregory Daniel Davies was born in St Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales, on 14 May 1968.[1] His Welsh parents lived in England at the time, but his father drove his mother across the border to make sure he was born in Wales, so that he would be eligible to play rugby for the Wales national team.[2] He grew up in Wem, Shropshire, which he regards as his home.[3][4][5] His father's origins lie in Porthmadog.[1] Like many people in North Wales, he also claims descent from Owain the Great.[1][6]
Davies was educated at Thomas Adams School in Wem,[4] before studying drama and English at Brunel University London,[7] graduating in 1990.[8] Prior to embarking on a career in comedy, he taught drama for 13 years at a number of secondary schools: Langleywood School in Slough, Orleans Park School in Twickenham, and Sandhurst School in Sandhurst.[9]
Career
In 2003 Davies made an appearance on the children's TV show Dick & Dom in da Bungalow, playing a caricatured version of himself named "Massive Greg".
In 2005 Davies played a caricature of cricketer W. G. Grace in a series of adverts for Channel 4's television coverage of The Ashes.[10]
In 2007 Davies was nominated three times in the Chortle Awards, in the categories "Breakthrough Act" (for his solo stand-up act), "Best Sketch, Variety or Character Act", and "Best Full-Length Show" (both as part of sketch team We Are Klang).[11]
From 2008 Davies played the head of Sixth Form Mr Gilbert in the E4 comedy The Inbetweeners, and in the two follow-up films The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) and The Inbetweeners 2 (2014).
In 2010 Davies' first solo stand-up show Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog was nominated for the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Festival.[12] The show was subsequently taken on his first ever tour the following autumn.[13] He was also nominated for the Edinburgh Fringe's Malcolm Hardee "Act Most Likely to Make a Million Quid" Award.[14]
From October 2013 Davies starred in Channel 4's sitcom Man Down,[15] playing a teacher, Dan, who dislikes his job.[16] Rik Mayall played Dan's father. Channel 4 also commissioned a Christmas special,[17] and subsequently renewed for a second series. Rik Mayall's death in June 2014 slowed progress[18] but the second series was announced in 2015.[19] The classroom used in the show is the same classroom in which Davies taught at Sandhurst School.[20]
Since July 2015 Davies has been the host of the panel game show Taskmaster. In December 2015, he starred in BBC Two's comedy drama A Gert Lush Christmas where he played Tony, the uncle of Russell and Kerry Howard's characters. On Christmas Day he played King Hydroflax in the 2015 Doctor Who Special "The Husbands of River Song".[21]
In November 2017 Davies recorded a Netflix stand-up comedy special at the Hammersmith Apollo during his Magnificent Beast UK tour. It was released as You Magnificent Beast in 2018.[22]
From 2021 Davies wrote and starred in the BBC One comedy series The Cleaner.[23][24][25][26] From September 2021 Davies has been host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks on Sky Max.[27]
Personal life
Davies is noted for his height, standing 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall.[28][29] He lives in the Kennington area of London.[30] He was in a relationship with Labour Party politician Liz Kendall from 2007 to 2015.[5][31] In 2022 Davies was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from his alma mater, Brunel University London.[32]
