Dean Learner

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Dean Learner is a fictional character performed by British comedian Richard Ayoade in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, a horror parody television series, as well as in Man to Man with Dean Learner, a parody talk show. Learner, a mix between Donald Trump (as he owns his own Dean tower) and Hugh Hefner (because of his harem of girlfriends wearing uniforms) is a self-proclaimed club-owner, entrepreneur and publisher of high-class gentlemen magazines. He is also Garth Marenghi's publisher, played by Matthew Holness.

Dean Learner first appeared in the Edinburgh Fringe stage shows Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight and Garth Marenghi's Netherhead in 2000 and 2001 respectively. In 2004, he appeared in Channel 4's spoof horror comedy Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, and in 2006 in his own TV show, Man to Man with Dean Learner, which aired on Channel 4 from October 2006. It was recorded at Teddington Studios in April–May 2006 in front of a live audience and featured Learner interviewing fictional celebrity guests – all of whom happened to be his clients (and played by Ayoade's writing partner Matthew Holness) – including Marenghi.^{[citation needed]}