Phil Dunning: His Life, Comedy Career and Smoggie Queens
Meet the English actor and writer behind Smoggie Queens, from his early performances in live comedy to his BBC success and BAFTA nominations.
Introduction
Phil Dunning spent years building his comedy career before creating his own television series. He performed live, worked a box-office job, and took supporting screen roles while writing his own material.
Then came Smoggie Queens.
The BBC sitcom introduced viewers to Dickie and a close group of LGBTQ+ friends in Middlesbrough. Dunning created the programme, wrote it, and played its outspoken central character.
His work earned three BAFTA nominations in 2025. But his story began long before that recognition.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Phil Dunning |
| Nationality | English |
| Home region | Teesside, North East England |
| Profession | Actor, writer and character comedian |
| Best known for | Smoggie Queens |
| Character in the series | Dickie |
| Other television work | Feel Good, The Other One, Boat Story, Am I Being Unreasonable? |
| BAFTA recognition | Three nominations in 2025 |
| RTS award | Newcomer, North East and the Borders Awards, 2025 |
| Professional representation | PBJ Management |
Early Life in Teesside
Dunning was born and raised in Teesside. His production company describes him as a Middlesbrough native, and the town later became the setting for his breakthrough sitcom.
He enjoyed performing as a child.
In interviews, he has recalled asking his parents for a long blonde wig when he was around six or seven. He would put on shows with friends and involve his younger sister in the performances.
The interest stayed with him.
French and Saunders, Vic and Bob, and Lily Savage were among his comedy influences. Their characters and unusual humour helped shape his taste in performance.
He also spoke about watching queer performers on television with his mother. Before discussing his own sexuality openly, he paid attention to whether she laughed and enjoyed their work.
Those small moments mattered to him.
University and Finding Confidence
Dunning attended university and has publicly discussed coming out during that period.
Feeling comfortable took some time.
Although his friends were accepting, he explained that he needed time to trust the people around him fully. That memory later helped him write part of Stewart’s story in Smoggie Queens.
The second series includes a coming-out celebration. He connected that scene to his own experience of being welcomed by friends.
His writing draws on real feelings, even when the situations around them become ridiculous.
Moving to London
After moving to London, Dunning worked full-time in a box office while developing his comedy career.
It was a difficult balance.
His manager allowed him time away to perform at the Edinburgh Festival. Those appearances gave him a chance to put his work in front of audiences and industry contacts.
But the costs were high.
In a May 2026 interview, he explained that performing at Edinburgh had left him with debt, which he had only recently cleared.
He sometimes considered leaving comedy. A steady office job offered security, especially when years of effort had yet to bring a major break.
Still, he kept working.
Phil Dunning’s Live Comedy Career
Character comedy gave him space to build unusual personalities and try ideas in front of a crowd.
His agency credits him with writing and performing three solo Edinburgh Fringe shows. Earlier performance projects include Songs With Phil, The People’s Prince and The House of Pigs.
Live performance remained part of his career as screen opportunities grew.
His professional profile also lists hosting a monthly comedy and cabaret night at London’s Moth Club with Knock2Bag. He appeared on Channel 4’s Harry Hill’s ClubNite too.
These performances helped him develop the character work that later became central to his television writing.
Television Roles Before His Breakthrough
Before leading Smoggie Queens, Dunning appeared in several British television comedies.
Some roles were small.
He played the Dancing Man in Stath Lets Flats and Professor Spink in the second series of Feel Good. Other parts included Frankie in The Other One and Gavin in Am I Being Unreasonable?
He also played Andrew in Boat Story.
| Programme | Role |
|---|---|
| Pls Like | Depressed Vlogger |
| Stath Lets Flats | Dancing Man |
| Feel Good | Professor Spink |
| The Other One | Frankie |
| Lazy Susan | Sleepy Girl |
| Am I Being Unreasonable? | Gavin |
| Boat Story | Andrew |
| Juice, series two | Ollie |
| Smoggie Queens | Dickie |
| The Dickie Show | Dickie |
His credits also include ensemble work in The Emily Atack Show and Ellie & Natasia.
These jobs formed part of a gradual career. His biggest change came when he had the opportunity to lead a programme he had created himself.
Creating Smoggie Queens
Smoggie Queens first aired on BBC Three in November 2024.
Middlesbrough is central to the story.
The sitcom follows a group of LGBTQ+ friends whose close relationships form a chosen family. Dunning plays Dickie alongside Mark Benton as Mam, Alexandra Mardell as Lucinda, Patsy Lowe as Sal, and Elijah Young as Stewart.
The humour is deliberately silly.
There are arguments, slapstick moments and plans that go wrong. Beneath the chaos, the characters keep returning to their friendships and their pride in where they live.
Dunning created and wrote the series. He also received an associate producer credit on its second series.
The programme gave him a chance to write about his home region through a comedy centred on queer community life.
Playing Dickie
Dickie is outspoken, unpredictable and often difficult. Those qualities create plenty of trouble for the people around him.
He rarely makes things simple.
Dunning has discussed the freedom he feels when performing as the character. The appearance and attitude give him room to say things he would approach differently as himself.
Lily Savage was an important influence.
He admired how Paul O’Grady used that character to deliver blunt humour with confidence. Dickie gave him his own way to work with that kind of outspoken comic personality.
BAFTA Nominations and Awards
Smoggie Queens brought recognition for both writing and performance.
In 2025, Dunning received three BAFTA nominations for his work on the programme.
| Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| BAFTA Television Awards | Male Performance in a Comedy | Nominated |
| BAFTA Television Craft Awards | Writer: Comedy | Nominated |
| BAFTA Television Craft Awards | Emerging Talent: Fiction | Nominated |
He also won the Newcomer award at the 2025 RTS North East and the Borders Awards.
The series received recognition separately.
Smoggie Queens won the regional RTS comedy award. His newcomer award recognised him personally.
The Dickie Show
In 2026, Dickie moved into celebrity interviews.
The spin-off was called The Dickie Show.
Made for BBC YouTube channels and iPlayer, it featured guests including Rylan, James Acaster, Vanessa Feltz and Russell T Davies.
Actually, interviewing was new territory.
Dunning told the Royal Television Society that he had never interviewed anyone before the project. Performing in character allowed him to keep the conversations connected to the comic world of Smoggie Queens.
Recent Work and Series Three
Smoggie Queens returned for its second series in May 2026. A third series was later commissioned.
The show continued to grow.
By October 2026, Hat Trick International was promoting the third series to international buyers. The distributor also announced deals for the first two series with Disney+ in the UK and BINGE and Foxtel in Australia.
For its creator, the renewal meant another opportunity to keep writing the group and their Middlesbrough stories.
Personal Life and Family Connections
Dunning has publicly spoken about being gay, coming out at university, and finding friends who accepted him.
He has also shared warm memories of his mother. Taking her to the BAFTAs was especially meaningful after years of wanting her to feel proud of his work.
It was a personal milestone.
His interviews often return to finding people who understand you. That experience helps explain why friendship and acceptance are so important in Smoggie Queens.
Final Thought
Phil Dunning built his career over years of live performances and supporting television roles. Smoggie Queens brought that experience together in a series connected to his home region.
The breakthrough took real work.
His career shows the effort behind a successful programme: writing while holding another job, handling financial pressure, and continuing when the next opportunity was uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Phil Dunning?
He is an English actor, writer and character comedian best known for creating, writing and starring in Smoggie Queens.
Where is he from?
He was born and raised in Teesside in North East England. His production company describes him as a Middlesbrough native.
Who does he play in Smoggie Queens?
He plays Dickie, one of the main characters in the Middlesbrough-set friendship group.
Did he write Smoggie Queens?
Yes. He created and wrote the BBC sitcom, as well as starring in it.
Has he won a BAFTA?
He received three BAFTA nominations in 2025 for Smoggie Queens. He did not win those awards.
What other programmes has he appeared in?
His screen credits include Feel Good, Stath Lets Flats, The Other One, Boat Story and Am I Being Unreasonable?
What is The Dickie Show?
It is a celebrity interview series featuring Dunning as Dickie, made for BBC YouTube channels and iPlayer.
Is Smoggie Queens returning for a third series?
Yes. A third series had been commissioned by October 2026.
