Leslie Dennis Heseltine (born 12 October 1953) is an English television presenter, actor and comedian. He presented Family Fortunes from 1987 to 2002.
Dennis was born as Leslie Dennis Heseltine on 12 October 1953 in the Liverpool suburb of Garston. His mother worked in a factory while his father, who worked in a betting shop after serving in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, was listed as a football player on the books of Liverpool FC but did not play for the first team. He lived in the suburb of Speke for a while and attended the Stockton Wood and Joseph Williams primary schools, before going to Morrison Rose Lane Secondary Modern school in Allerton. From 1967 he went to Quarry Bank Comprehensive. Dennis left there in June 1972 with an A-level in Art and failed History and English Literature. He had a weekend job in the men's clothing store Burton whilst still at school, and started as a stand-up comedian in working men's clubs.
Early work and Family Fortunes
As a comedian, Dennis performed in social clubs all around the northwest of England. He was given the earliest opportunities in his home city of Liverpool; in his autobiography, he later credited husband-and-wife theatrical agents Stuart and Dorene Gillespie (who had themselves been a successful variety act) with discovering him. His debut radio broadcast was in 1971 on Stuart's BBC Radio Merseyside series Variety Time (the programs were taped in front of a live audience in Merseyside clubs). In 1974, he won the ITV talent show New Faces and appeared on numerous light entertainment shows. It's a common myth that he almost became the first contestant ever to score the maximum 120 points on New Faces, but had to settle for 119 when Tony Hatch gave him 9 out of 10 in his final mark, drawing derision from the rest of a judges' panel that included fellow Liverpool comedian Arthur Askey. He scored 39 for Presentation, 36 for Content, and 36 for Star Quality, meaning he only scored 111 with the score of 9 out of 10 leaving him one mark short of a maximum in just the Presentation category.
In 1982, Dennis joined as one of the teams on Russ Abbot's Madhouse and The Russ Abbot Show before forming a comedy partnership with fellow impressionist Dustin Gee, which in turn led to a series of their own, The Laughter Show. Following Gee's sudden and unexpected death in January 1986, Dennis carried on The Laughter Show as a solo performer and became the third host of Family Fortunes for a 15-year run between 1987 and 2002. It was at a recording of an episode of Family Fortunes in 1997 that Dennis was surprised by the BBC programme 'This Is Your Life'.
Dennis' stage work includes Amos Hart in Chicago and Bill Snibson in Me and My Girl in the West End. He has starred in Skylight at the Water Mill Theatre in Newbury, Mr Wonderful at the Gateway Theatre in Chester, and Misery at the Coliseum Theatre in Oldham. He also appeared in Just Between Ourselves and co-starred alongside Janet Suzman in Cherished Disappointments in Love at London's Soho Theatre. He co-starred with Christopher Cazenove and John Duttine in a national tour of 'Art' and as Norman Bartholomew in Anthony Shaffer's dark comedy Murderer at London's Menier Chocolate Factory. He later starred in a hit season of Neville's Island at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Dennis appeared as Mr. Fulton in High School Musical 2 on a UK tour from August 2009 to February 2010. He toured in Hairspray as Wilbur Turnblad alongside Michael Ball, Brian Conley and Michael Starke – who alternated the role of Edna Turnblad. He starred in the touring production of Legally Blonde The Musical in 2012, playing the role of Professor Callahan.
In 2017, Dennis played the role of Uncle Fester on the UK tour of the musical production of The Addams Family. The production starred Samantha Womack and Carrie Hope Fletcher.
In 2019, Dennis performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Restoration plays The Provoked Wife and Venice Preserved.
In 2021, Dennis made a return to the theatre when he played the role of Wilbur Turnblad in the 2021 revival of Hairspray at the London Coliseum.
In November and December 2021, Dennis performed as Sir Joseph in the English National Opera Performance of HMS Pinafore at the London Coliseum.
In June 2025, Dennis portrayed Petka in the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Anna Karenina.
Dennis' film debut was in the 1996 film Intimate Relations. He also appeared in the comedy film Large and Wildlife, a short film directed by Nick Allsop. He had previously made appearances on two episodes of Bang Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer in The "Club" sketch, where he played himself. When he took part in a video-only special of Shooting Stars in 1993, Vic Reeves when introducing him pronounced his name as though it were French, saying "Les Dennis, the French fire engine".
Dennis has appeared in an episode of The Bill in 2006 as Mr. Tom Walker, Brookside (as Jeff Evans; 2001) and episodes of Merseybeat, Family Affairs, Casualty, the short-lived revival of Crossroads, and Hotel Babylon.
Dennis appeared in the second series of the UK Celebrity Big Brother during the period when his marriage to Amanda Holden was breaking down again – he described his time in the BB House as "not one of his wisest moves", although he went on to finish as runner-up to Mark Owen.
On 11 August 2005, Dennis appeared as a guest star in an episode of the first series of BBC sitcom Extras, written by and starring Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. In this appearance, Dennis portrayed a fictional version of himself, alongside Gerard Kelly, who played a camp theatre director, the recurring character Bunny. Dennis would go on to say "you could say Extras changed my life."
In early 2006, Dennis presented and performed in BBC One's The Sound of Musicals and guested in New Street Law on BBC One.
In summer 2006, he played scriptwriter Nick Chase in a new comedy play called Marlon Brando's Corset, which toured the UK from July 2006, including a month-long run at the Edinburgh Fringe.