Denise O'Donohue
Encyclopedia
Denise O'Donoghue OBE is a British television production company executive. She graduated in 1979 with a BA in Politics from University of York
.
With Rory McGrath
and Jimmy Mulville
, she co-founded the independent British
TV
production company Hat Trick Productions
in 1986. As a television producer
, O'Donoghue has worked on shows such as the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway?
, and Have I Got News for You
. McGrath left the company in 1992.
O'Donoghue married Mulville in 1987. They divorced in the mid-nineties but continued to work together. In 2006 she married Michael Holland, a multi-millionaire oil shipping businessman after his wife, Jane Attenborough, 49 (daughter of Richard Attenborough
), and his 15-year-old daughter Lucy, and his mother, Jane Holland, 83, all drowned in the tsunami in December 2004. He founded Oil Aid, which has raised millions for charities.
In 2003 O'Donoghue and Mulville, as the remaining co-founders of Hat Trick, were listed in The Observer
as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
She was awarded an OBE
for services to television in the New Year Honours
list of 1999.
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
.
With Rory McGrath
Rory McGrath
Patrick Rory McGrath is an English comedian and writer. He is best known for roles in Who Dares Wins, Chelmsford 123, Three Men in a Boat and its successors. He was also a regular panellist on They Think It's All Over....
and Jimmy Mulville
Jimmy Mulville
James Thomas "Jimmy" Mulville is an English comedian, comedy writer, producer and television presenter. Jimmy Mulville is best known for co-founding in 1986 the British independent television production company Hat Trick Productions with Denise O'Donoghue and Rory McGrath...
, she co-founded the independent British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
production company Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions is a British independent production company that produces television programmes, mainly specialising in comedy.-History:...
in 1986. As a television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, O'Donoghue has worked on shows such as the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4, for a 10 series run...
, and Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
. McGrath left the company in 1992.
O'Donoghue married Mulville in 1987. They divorced in the mid-nineties but continued to work together. In 2006 she married Michael Holland, a multi-millionaire oil shipping businessman after his wife, Jane Attenborough, 49 (daughter of Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
), and his 15-year-old daughter Lucy, and his mother, Jane Holland, 83, all drowned in the tsunami in December 2004. He founded Oil Aid, which has raised millions for charities.
In 2003 O'Donoghue and Mulville, as the remaining co-founders of Hat Trick, were listed in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
She was awarded an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for services to television in the New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
list of 1999.