Gregory Daniel Davies ( ; born 14 May 1968) is a British comedian, actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known for his roles as Mr. Gilbert in The Inbetweeners (2008–2010), Greg in We Are Klang (2009), Ken Thompson in Cuckoo (2012–2019), Dan Davies in Man Down (2013–2017), and Paul "Wicky" Wickstead in The Cleaner (2021–present). He also created Man Down and The Cleaner.

Davies has released two Netflix comedy specials, You Magnificent Beast (2018) and Full Fat Legend (2025). He is the host of the comedy panel game shows Taskmaster (2015–present) and Never Mind the Buzzcocks (2021–present) and 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 on 14 May 1968, the son of Pauline and Bob Davies (1936–2014). His Welsh parents lived in England at the time but Bob, a native of Porthmadog, drove Pauline across the border when she went into labour to make sure he was born in Wales. He grew up in the English town of Wem, which he regards as his home. Davies' father, Bob, died in 2014; the Man Down Christmas special is dedicated to both Bob and Rik Mayall, who played Davies' on-screen father, who also died in 2014. He discovered in 2017 that he is a descendant of 12th-century Welsh king Owain the Great.

Davies was educated at Thomas Adams School in Wem, before studying drama and English at Brunel University in Uxbridge. He graduated in 1990. He was a secondary school drama teacher for 13 years before his comedy career, working at Langley Academy, Orleans Park School, and Sandhurst School; large portions of his stand-up comedy routines are often dedicated to discussing his experiences during this time.

Career Film and television

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 coverage of The Ashes.

Davies had his breakthrough role as acerbic college head Mr Gilbert in the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners (2008–2014). He reprised his role in the follow-up films The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) and The Inbetweeners 2 (2014), and the television special The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited (2019). He then starred in the BBC Three sitcom Cuckoo (2012–2019), earning a nomination for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Male Comedy Performance in 2013. He created and starred in Channel 4's sitcom Man Down (2013–2017), which sometimes filmed in the same classroom he previously used as a drama teacher at Sandhurst School.

Davies is the host of the comedy panel game show Taskmaster (2015–present). He starred in BBC Two's comedy drama A Gert Lush Christmas (2015) and played King Hydroflax in the Doctor Who Christmas special "The Husbands of River Song" (2015). He created and stars in the BBC One crime comedy series The Cleaner (2021–present), as well as taking over as the host of the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2021.

Stand-up comedy Davies began his stand-up comedy career on the independent club circuit in 2005. In 2007, Davies was nominated for three 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).

Davies' first solo stand-up show, Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog, was nominated for the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010. The show was subsequently taken on his first tour. He was also nominated for the Edinburgh Fringe's Malcolm Hardee "Act Most Likely to Make a Million Quid" Award.

Davies toured the UK with his second stand-up show, The Back of My Mum's Head, in 2013. Davies toured with his third stand-up show, You Magnificent Beast, in 2017; a performance at the Hammersmith Apollo was filmed and released as his debut Netflix comedy special You Magnificent Beast in 2018. Davies filmed his second Netflix comedy special, Full Fat Legend, at the Royal Albert Hall for release in 2027.

Personal life Greg Davies has been noted for his height of , which often plays a role in his comedic performances. He lives in the Kennington area of London, and was in a relationship with Labour Party politician Liz Kendall from 2007 to 2015.

In December 2022, Davies was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from his alma mater Brunel University. In May 2024, Davies was the guest for BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where his musical choices included "Baggy Trousers" by Madness and "Wichita Lineman" by Glen Campbell.

In October 2025 Greg Davies was made an "honorary townsman" of Wem, in Shropshire, where he grew up.

Davies has appeared on Who Do You Think You Are?, during which he discovered that his long lost great-great grandfather, Evan Owen, grew up on The Owen Family Farm (Cwm Mawr) in the Hills of Snowdonia, which has been traced back at least eight generations to 1660; Evan Owen’s brother was the last to farm the land. Also revealed was that the Owen family were descended from Owain Gwynedd, the King of Gwynedd in the 12th century and the first Prince of Wales.

Filmography Film and television Year Title RoleNotes 2003 Dick & Dom in da Bungalow Massive Greg 2006 Girls? Eugh!Uncredited 2007 The Musical Storytellers Ginger & Black Mr Hopkirk Saxondale DuncChuckleVisionHenry VIII (Series 19, Episode 4)2007–2008CBBC OfficeVarious characters 2008 The Wall Various characters 2008–2010 The Inbetweeners Mr. Gilbert 2009 We Are Klang Greg 2010–2011 Ask Rhod Gilbert Himself 2010–2012Have I Got News for YouHimself3 episodes 2011 Fast and Loose Himself The Inbetweeners Movie Mr Gilbert 2011–2019Would I Lie To YouHimself5 episodes 2012–19 Cuckoo Ken Thompson 2013–2017 Man Down Dan Davies Creator and writer 2014 This Is Jinsy Jennitta Bishard The Inbetweeners 2 Mr. Gilbert Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule Himself 2015 A Gert Lush Christmas Uncle Tony Doctor Who King HydroflaxEpisode: "The Husbands of River Song" QIHimself Series M, Episode 6 2015–present Taskmaster Himself / The Taskmaster 2016 Travel Man HimselfTop Gear Himself/Star in a Rallycross CarAsterix: The Mansions of the Gods The Centurion (English dub) 2017 Who Do You Think You Are? Himself Comic Relief 2017 Himself2018 Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Balloon Man (voice) 2019The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited Mr. Gilbert Greg Davies: Looking for Kes Himself 2020 Taskmaster NZ Himself (Series 1, Episode 7) 2021–present The Cleaner Paul WicksteadCreator and writer Never Mind the Buzzcocks Himself / Presenter 2022 The Horne Section TV Show Himself Episode 1 2023 Brassic Dick Dolphin Christmas special 2024 The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin Leslie Duvall Guest role2026 BAFTA Television Awards Himself Host

Stand-up specials YearTitleNo. of showsNotes2011Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog DVD release2013The Back of My Mum's Head 47 dates DVD release2018You Magnificent Beast 53 dates Netflix release2025Full Fat Legend Netflix release Planned 2027

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2011 British Comedy Awards Best Breakthrough Comedy Artist Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog 2013 2013 British Academy Television Awards Best Male Performance in a Comedy Program Cuckoo

References

External links