Miles Jupp

Early life and education

Jupp was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and spent most of his childhood in London, the son of a minister in the United Reformed Church. Although Jupp believed he was of Belgian stock for most of his life, descended from sixteenth century Huguenot immigrants, while creating a programme for BBC Radio 4, he discovered his roots are in Sussex.

He was educated at three independent schools: the Hall School in Hampstead, North London, and St George's School in Windsor, and then at Oakham School in Rutland, followed by the University of Edinburgh, where he studied Divinity. During his time at university, he performed with improvised comedy troupe the Improverts, and took part in pantomime productions with the Edinburgh University Theatre Company at Bedlam Theatre.

Career

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. He claimed to have bluffed his way onto an England cricket tour to India, as the cricket correspondent for BBC Scotland, and the Western Mail during his appearance on Celebrity Mastermind, and again in an appearance on Test Match Special in 2011. He wrote a book about his adventures as a cricket journalist in India: Fibber in the Heat (Ebury Press 2012).

Television and film

Jupp is best known for playing 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 an incredibly hot drought.

Jupp appeared in Series 3 and 4 of political comedy The Thick of It as John Duggan, an incompetent press officer with a habit for making inappropriate comments, prompting the remark that his fringe is to "hide the lobotomy scars". Following this role 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, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, and 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 with Goldie, and team captain Phill Jupitus on the music quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks. In May and November 2011, and in April 2012, he appeared as a panellist on both Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie To You? (BBC). On 22 August 2011, he appeared as the lunchtime guest on Test Match Special, where he revealed a love of cricket and that he had 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 again on Mock the Week.

In January 2012, he won an episode of 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 specially televised 45th Anniversary series of BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute quiz show, alongside Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth and Liza Tarbuck, and in July 2013, he appeared in an episode of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, also on BBC Radio 4. He featured in the 2014 World War II film, The Monuments Men, as British officer Major Fielding. Jupp has also appeared several times on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

During 2014, Jupp narrated for the BBC television documentary series, Building Dream Homes. He appeared in the film Grimsby as a police officer in 2016. On 27 April 2016, Jupp was announced to voice Blackberry in the upcoming adaptation of Watership Down.

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.

Radio

Jupp was the narrator of the radio show The Penny Dreadfuls Present...The Brothers Faversham by the Penny Dreadfuls, which was broadcast in the beginning of 2008 on BBC Radio 7 in the United Kingdom.

In April 2012, Jupp was a contestant on BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz (Series 77; Episode 1). In 2009, Jupp became host of BBC Radio 7 satirical comedy series Newsjack as well as the host on BBC Radio Scotland comedy quiz show Swots. In February 2011, he appeared as a panellist on BBC Radio 4's panel show It's Your Round. Since February 2012, Jupp hosted three series of a BBC Radio 4 panel show It's Not What You Know, based on his suggestion for a round on It's Your Round.

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", with a second series following in 2013, and continuing with a third series in 2014. The show also had a short lived television version in 2015. A six part fourth series aired on BBC Radio 4 in August and September 2015.

In June 2015, Jupp was announced as the new presenter of The News Quiz, replacing Sandi Toksvig.

Live

In March 2008, Jupp performed his third solo show entitled Everyday Rage and Dinner Party Chit Chat, at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden. He presented the Live at the Gilded Balloon podcast for The Guardian newspaper's coverage of the 2008 and 2009 Edinburgh Fringe.