Steve Punt
Encyclopedia
Stephen Punt is a British
writer
, comedian
and actor
, best known for his long-time comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis
. Punt lives in Wimbledon
with his girlfriend and two children.
, an independent school
for boys in Croydon
, Greater London
, and at St. Catharine's College
, Cambridge University
, where he read English. He met Dennis when a member of Footlights
, of which he was vice-president.
While at university he began writing for the BBC Radio 4
series Week Ending
. Punt and Dennis later became resident guest comedians on shows presented by Jasper Carrott
, including Carrott Confidential and Canned Carrott
. They also toured with Carrott as a live support act.
They were then recruited in 1988, along with David Baddiel
and Rob Newman (both also from Footlights), to write and perform a satirical
sketch and stand-up show called The Mary Whitehouse Experience
on BBC Radio 1
. After three years, the show had proved such a big hit that it transferred to television. Punt and Dennis went on to perform in their own TV sketch show, The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show
, and co-wrote and starred in the sitcom Me, You & Him.
Punt has worked more as a writer, script editor
and voice-over artist in recent years, though he has also performed with Dennis in It's Been a Bad Week
for BBC Radio 2
. The pair are also the main presenters of BBC Radio 4's The Now Show
and the writers of BBC Radio 4's sitcom The Party Line
. Punt, with Mark Tavener
, is co-writer of the 2007 Radio 4 series His Master's Voice
.
Steve is regularly credited as a "programme associate" on the satirical programme Mock The Week
, in which his comedy partner Hugh Dennis is a regular team member.
In 2008 Punt wrote the script for and performed in Rockford's Rock Opera
, a critically acclaimed ecological musical story created with school friend, Matthew Sweetapple, which has been published as an audiobook.
He also, with the help of Hugh Dennis
, Jon Holmes
, Marcus Brigstocke
and Mitch Benn
wrote The Now Show Book of World Records.
In 2011, he hosted the Radio 4 quiz show, The 3rd Degree. Punt played Eric Idle
in the BBC adaptation Holy Flying Circus
, covering the controversy surrounding the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known for his long-time comedy partnership with Hugh Dennis
Hugh Dennis
Peter Hugh Dennis is an English actor, comedian, writer, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner Steve Punt. He is also known for his position as a permanent panelist on the TV comedy show Mock The Week...
. Punt lives in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
with his girlfriend and two children.
Life and career
Punt was educated at Whitgift SchoolWhitgift School
Whitgift School is an independent day school educating approximately 1,400 boys aged 10 to 18 in South Croydon, London in a parkland site.- History and grounds :...
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
for boys in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, and at St. Catharine's College
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
, Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he read English. He met Dennis when a member of Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
, of which he was vice-president.
While at university he began writing for the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
series Week Ending
Week Ending
Week Ending... was a satirical radio current affairs sketch show, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, usually on Friday evenings. It was devised by writer/producers Simon Brett and David Hatch, and was originally hosted by Nationwide presenter Michael Barratt.The show's title was always announced as...
. Punt and Dennis later became resident guest comedians on shows presented by Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott OBE is a British comedian, actor, television presenter and personality.-Early life:...
, including Carrott Confidential and Canned Carrott
Canned Carrott
Canned Carrott was a comedy stand-up and sketch-show by Jasper Carrott. Two of the regular sketches were "Wiggy" and "The Detectives"....
. They also toured with Carrott as a live support act.
They were then recruited in 1988, along with David Baddiel
David Baddiel
David Lionel Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter.-Early life:Baddiel was born in New York, and moved to England when he was four months old. His father, Colin Brian Baddiel, was a Welsh research chemist with Unilever before being made redundant in the 1980s, after...
and Rob Newman (both also from Footlights), to write and perform a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
sketch and stand-up show called The Mary Whitehouse Experience
The Mary Whitehouse Experience
The Mary Whitehouse Experience was a British topical sketch comedy show produced by the BBC in association with Spitting Image Productions. It starred two comedy double acts - David Baddiel and Rob Newman, and also Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, all of whom had graduated from Cambridge University...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. After three years, the show had proved such a big hit that it transferred to television. Punt and Dennis went on to perform in their own TV sketch show, The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show
The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show
The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show was a stand-up and sketch show by comedians Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. They were a double act in The Mary Whitehouse Experience, and they also featured in Canned Carrott, so they had plenty of experience working together. Impressionists Alistair McGowan...
, and co-wrote and starred in the sitcom Me, You & Him.
Punt has worked more as a writer, script editor
Script editor
A script editor is a member of the production team of scripted television programmes, usually dramas and comedies. The script editor has many responsibilities including finding new script writers, developing storyline and series ideas with writers, ensuring that scripts are suitable for production...
and voice-over artist in recent years, though he has also performed with Dennis in It's Been a Bad Week
It's Been a Bad Week
It’s Been a Bad Week is a British radio comedy on BBC Radio 2, first broadcast on 11 February 1999. It is presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, and is also referred to as Punt and Dennis: It's Been a Bad Week. More than 100 episodes have been broadcast , the latest series ending on 22 June 2006....
for BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
. The pair are also the main presenters of BBC Radio 4's The Now Show
The Now Show
The Now Show is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which satirises the week's news. The show is a mixture of stand-up, sketches and songs presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis...
and the writers of BBC Radio 4's sitcom The Party Line
The Party Line (radio)
The Party Line is a British radio sitcom, co-written by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, and produced by Adam Bromley. It was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2005 and 2008. The show stars James Fleet as Duncan Stonebridge, a Member of Parliament for the imaginary constituency of...
. Punt, with Mark Tavener
Mark Tavener
Mark Tavener was a British novelist who also wrote for radio and television. Born and brought up in Plymouth, educated at Plymouth College and Peterhouse Cambridge. His 1989 satirical novel In the Red was adapted for radio in 1995, and television in 1998...
, is co-writer of the 2007 Radio 4 series His Master's Voice
His Master's Voice (radio series)
His Master's Voice is a satirical comedy series on BBC Radio 4. It is written by both Mark Tavener, who also wrote the satirical novel In The Red and the satirical radio series Absolute Power, and Steve Punt. Their writing satirises both the hard-right Conservatism and "caring Conservatism",...
.
Steve is regularly credited as a "programme associate" on the satirical programme Mock The Week
Mock the Week
Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain that launched in 2005. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.It is made by independent...
, in which his comedy partner Hugh Dennis is a regular team member.
In 2008 Punt wrote the script for and performed in Rockford's Rock Opera
Rockford's Rock Opera
Rockford's Rock Opera is an ecological musical story created by Matthew Sweetapple, Steve Punt and Elaine Sweetapple. It was first released on the internet and as a three album set by Sweetapple in 2009....
, a critically acclaimed ecological musical story created with school friend, Matthew Sweetapple, which has been published as an audiobook.
He also, with the help of Hugh Dennis
Hugh Dennis
Peter Hugh Dennis is an English actor, comedian, writer, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for his work with comedy partner Steve Punt. He is also known for his position as a permanent panelist on the TV comedy show Mock The Week...
, Jon Holmes
Jon Holmes
Jon Holmes is a seven time Sony award-winning and double Bafta winning British writer, comedian and broadcaster.-Early life:...
, Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Brigstocke
Marcus Alexander Brigstocke is an English comedian, actor and satirist who has worked extensively in stand-up comedy, television, radio and in 2010-2011 musical theatre. He is particularly associated with the 6.30pm comedy slot on BBC Radio 4, having frequently appeared on several of its shows...
and Mitch Benn
Mitch Benn
Mitch Benn is a British musician and stand-up comedian known for his humorous songs performed on BBC radio. He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's satirical programme The Now Show, and has hosted other radio shows.Benn has performed at several music festivals, and at the Edinburgh Festival...
wrote The Now Show Book of World Records.
In 2011, he hosted the Radio 4 quiz show, The 3rd Degree. Punt played Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
in the BBC adaptation Holy Flying Circus
Holy Flying Circus
Holy Flying Circus is a 90-minute BBC television comedy film from 2011, about the 1979 television debate about the film Monty Python's Life of Brian...
, covering the controversy surrounding the release of Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
.