Miles Jupp

English actor and comedian (born 1979)

Miles Hugh Barrett Jupp (born 8 September 1979) is an English actor, singer, and comedian. He began his career as a stand up comedian before playing the role of the inventor Archie in the children's television series Balamory. He also played John Duggan in The Thick of It, Nigel in the sitcom Rev and appeared on many comedy panel shows. In September 2015, Jupp replaced Sandi Toksvig as the host of The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4.

Jupp was born in 1979 in London and spent his early childhood in West Hampstead. He is the son of a minister in the United Reformed Church. For much of his life, Jupp believed he was of Belgian stock, descended from 16th century Huguenot immigrants. However, while creating a programme for BBC Radio 4 in 2015, he discovered his roots are actually in Sussex. Jupp attended three independent schools: The Hall School in Hampstead, North London; St George's School in Windsor; and Oakham School in Rutland. He studied Divinity at the University of Edinburgh.

Jupp won So You Think You're Funny?, Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year in 2001 and was a Perrier Award Best Newcomer nominee in 2003 for his show Gentlemen Prefer Brogues. During his appearance on Celebrity Mastermind and Test Match Special in 2011, he claimed to have bluffed his way onto an England cricket tour to India as the cricket correspondent for both BBC Scotland and the Western Mail. He wrote Fibber in the Heat, a book about his adventures as a cricket journalist in India.

Jupp played Archie, the Inventor in CBeebies' Balamory. He also had a role in the BBC Scotland comedy programme, Live Floor Show, where he played an eccentric, foul mouthed comedian. In 2007, Jupp appeared fleetingly in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as a television weatherman who complained about a hot drought. Jupp appeared in Series 3 and 4 of the political comedy, The Thick of It, as John Duggan, an incompetent press officer with a habit of making inappropriate comments. He appeared in BBC Scotland's comedy Gary: Tank Commander as Captain Fanshaw. In 2009, he appeared briefly in the film Sherlock Holmes as a waiter. In the same year, he also appeared in Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle. In 2010, Jupp appeared on Mock the Week and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow. He performed as Nigel, a Church of England Lay Reader, in the BBC sitcom Rev. He also appeared as an under secretary in the film Made in Dagenham (2010). In January 2011, Jupp was a team member alongside Goldie and Phill Jupitus on the music quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks. In May 2011, November 2011, and April 2012, he was a panelist on Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie To You? (BBC). On 22 August 2011, he was a lunchtime guest on Test Match Special, where he revealed a love of cricket and that he had previously worked with the Test Match Special team, who had no idea who he was. This became the basis of the book Fibber in the Heat. In October 2011, he again appeared in Mock the Week. Jupp had a cameo role in Johnny English Reborn in 2011 as an employee of MI7. He appeared in Series 4, Episode 4 of the comedy panel game Argumental, which aired on 24 November 2011. In 2012, he appeared on Mock the Week. In January 2012, he won on Celebrity Mastermind. In February 2012, he appeared on BBC Let's Dance for Sport Relief and danced to The Prodigy's "Firestarter". In March 2012, he appeared in an episode of the televised 45th Anniversary series of BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute quiz show, alongside Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth and Liza Tarbuck. In July 2013, he appeared in an episode of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue on BBC Radio 4. He was featured in the 2014 World War II film, The Monuments Men, as British officer Major Fielding. Jupp has also appeared eight times on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown

In October 2016, Jupp appeared as Giles, the chairman of the residents' committee, in the sitcom from BBC Three Josh. In 2017, he appeared as Hardy in the film, Journey's End. ), before handing the job over to Joe Lycett. In 2011, he starred in the self penned BBC Radio 4 comedy, In and Out of the Kitchen, "the diary, written for publication, of a somewhat minor celebrity chef, Damien Trench". A second series followed in 2013, and continued with a third series in 2014. The show had a short lived television version in 2015. A six part fourth series aired on BBC Radio 4 in August and September 2015. He played the title character in BBC Radio 4 comedy Boswell's Lives (written by Jon Canter) which ran for four series, 2015–2018. Jupp appeared as a contestant on BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz in April 2012 (Series 77; Episode 1). In June 2015 he became the new presenter of the show, replacing Sandi Toksvig. He chaired the show for 12 series, with his last appearance on 31 May 2019 (Series 99; Episode 8). Jupp appears as retired Prime Minister Henry Tobin in Party's Over from 2019 to 2022 (12 episodes). In 2022, his four episode sketch show, Whatever Next? With Miles Jupp was broadcast on Radio 4.

In March 2008, Jupp performed his third solo show, Everyday Rage and Dinner Party Chit Chat, at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden. He presented Live at the Gilded Balloon podcast for The Guardian newspaper's coverage of the 2008 and 2009 Edinburgh Fringe. In 2019, Jupp played the role of actor David Tomlinson in The Life I Live, a one man show at the Salisbury Playhouse and other theatres.

Jupp and his wife Rachel met while studying in Edinburgh. They have five children. The family moved from Peckham, South London, to Monmouthshire, Wales. In 2021, Jupp suffered a brain seizure, following which he had surgery to remove a brain tumour.

Year Film Role Notes1992Songs of Praise: A Celebration of ChristmasHimself 2001 Revolver Shoe Salesman 2002–2005 Live Floor Show Rupert Donaldson Balamory Archie 74 episodes 2006 Feel the Force Mr. Bramwell Episode: "Murder" 2007 Wedding Belles Male Host Television film 2008 She Stoops to Conquer Tony Lumpkin Television film The Wrong Door Ninja Episode: "Bondo" 2009 Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Various 4 episodes 2009–2012 The Thick of It John Duggan 2 episodes Gary: Tank Commander Captain Fanshaw 10 episodes 2010 Lip Service Rory 2 episodes 2010–2014 Rev. Nigel McCall 19 episodes 2011 Campus Arnold Episode: "Post Coital" Peeder Jigson's Video Diary Trevor Gertrude Episode: "What Everyone's Up to in the Break" Comedy Lab Stu Carter Episode: Rick and Peter" 2012 Spy Owen 9 episodes A Young Doctor's Notebook Palchikov the Clerk Episode: "Episode Four" 2013 Man Down Man in Pub Episode: "Episode One" Harrow: A Very British School Narrator 8 part documentary 2014 Building Dream Homes Narrator 2014–present 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Himself – Guest 2015 In and Out of the Kitchen Damian Trench 3 episodes; also writer The Million Pound Motors as narrator 2016 Do Not Disturb John Josh Giles Episode: "Sex & Politics" Alan Partridge's Scissored Isle James Havant Brown Television special Outnumbered Stuart Episode: "Christmas Special 2016" 2017 Father Brown Wynford Collins Episode: "The Tanganyika Green" Quacks George Combe Episode: "The Madman's Trial" James and Jupp Himself 4 episodes The CrownHumphreyEpisode: "Marionettes" 2017–2018 Bad Move Matt 12 episodes 2017–2022 Frankie Boyle's New World Order Panellist 24 episodes (+4 clip show episodes) 2018 Watership Down Blackberry (voice) Miniseries 2018 2019 The Durrells Basil Recurring role 2019 Tourist Trap Dr. Phillip Hobbs Episode: "Culture" Midsomer Murders Cornelius Tetbury Episode: "With Baited Breath" 2020 The Great Maxim the Painter Episode: "War and Vomit" 2021 Sex Education Obstetrician Episode: season 3, episode 5 Grantchester (TV series) Marcus Asper Episode: season 6, episode 2 A Very British Scandal Dr. Ivor Griffiths 3 Part mini series: part 2, episode 2 2022 Why Didn't They Ask Evans? Henry Bassington ffrench 3 Part miniseries SAS: Rogue Heroes Major Alfred Knox 6 Part miniseries Professor T. (British TV series)Sean HallettSeason 2, Episode 5