TV star’s Kiveton links revealed

Television personality Hugh Dennis stars in the BBC’s celebrity family history series Who Do You Think You Are? on Wednesday 12th September.

Heavily involved in the filming in the area was the Kiveton Park and Wales History Society.

The group were contacted in November last year by the research and production team of the popular show, who were seeking information about the Dennis family of Kiveton Park and Wales and in particular the life and times of Hubert Ronald Dennis.

He was born in 1899 and attended Woodhouse Grammar School between 1909 and 1917, before going off to serve as an officer in World War One and died in 1990.

Although the group were not told the identity of the subject of the programme, several members put two and two together.

“Given that The Reverend John Dennis, former Bishop of Bury St Edmunds, now retired, was one of our members who had links to the villages we guessed that the television star Hugh Dennis, his son, was probably the man,” said Ken Chapman, chairman of the history society.

Members of the group showed researchers around Kiveton and Wales in December to assess possible filming locations.

The group met Hugh Dennis, star of sitcom Outnumbered, on 4th January, when filming began in the Duke of Leeds Public House.

The next location was Wales Square, where the history society’s own research allowed them to help the celebrity find the house his grandfather and great grandparents had occupied in 1901.

Ken said added: “During the filming in Wales Square we were besieged by autograph and photograph hunters, who recognised Mr Dennis.”

“Final filming of the day took place at the site of the Colliery and inside the Old Colliery Offices, which were made available by Kiveton Creative.”

“The following day filming took place in Wales Primary School, where Mr Dennis met some staff and children, who immediately recognised him and asked for his autograph.”

“Our whole day and involvement in the programme was really interesting. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience and take part in the making of a popular and interesting television programme.”

The episode of Who Do You Think You Are? about Hugh Dennis is screened on BBC One on Wednesday 12th September at 9pm.