‘I really liked making it’: Hugh Dennis says he’d be ‘happy’ for Outnumbered to return after on-screen wife Claire Skinner called their romance a ‘lovely surprise’
Hugh Dennis has admitted he’d be ‘very happy’ for Outnumbered to return to screens after the series wrapped up in 2016.
In a new interview, the actor, 58, who played history teacher Pete Brockman in the award-winning show, insisted he could reprise his role in two decades, where he and on-screen wife Claire Skinner would be looked after by their children.
The thespian and his co-star Claire, 55, have been in a relationship ever since they finished filming the programme, which she previously described as a ‘lovely little life surprise.’
‘I really liked making it’ Hugh Dennis has admitted he’d be ‘very happy’ for Outnumbered to return to screens after the series wrapped up in 2016 (pictured in 2020)
On a possible reunion, the Mock the Week panellist said in this week’s Radio Times: ‘I really liked making it, and I’d be very happy to do some more. Maybe in 20 years when the children are looking after us. That would be a great format.’
‘I think it was one of those sitcoms that acknowledged how difficult it is to bring up kids and what an unholy mess it is, quite often. That stuff is confusing and confused.
‘The number of people who have come up to me and said, ”You are basically telling me the story of my own life.” But I would like to say that I’m a much better father than I appear to be on Outnumbered.’
New plot: In a new interview, the actor, 58, insisted he could reprise his role in 20 years, where he and on-screen wife Claire Skinner would be looked after by their children (pictured in 2010)
‘A lovely little life surprise’: The thespian and his co-star Claire, 55, have been in a relationship ever since they finished filming the programme
Hugh and Claire starred in the BBC family comedy as harassed parents Pete and Sue Brockman, who are outnumbered by their three energetic children; Jake (Tyger Drew-Honey), Ben (Daniel Roche) and Karen (Ramona Marquez).
The successful series ran from 2007 to 2014 and was followed by a Christmas special in 2016.
Out now: Read Hugh’s interview in this week’s Radio Times
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine in September 2019, Claire said of their romance: ‘We are (together). It’s a lovely little life surprise, isn’t it? It’s a lovely thing.’
The couple did not start dating until after Outnumbered had finished filming, with Hugh recalling the beginnings of their relationship on an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live earlier in 2019.
He said at the time: ‘That happened I suppose about a year and a half ago. We did an Outnumbered Christmas special about three years ago and then met up again about a year and a half ago.’
Hugh split from his second wife, Kate Abbot-Anderson, in 2015; the former couple have a son Freddie, 23, and a daughter Meg, 21.
Claire, meanwhile, called it quits from her TV director husband, Charles Palmer, in 2016 after marrying in 2001; the couple have two sons – William, 21, and Henry, 18.
Iconic: Harassed parents Pete and Sue are outnumbered by their three energetic kids; Jake (Tyger Drew-Honey), Ben (Daniel Roche) and Karen (Ramona Marquez) (pictured in 2012)