| Gene Hunt | |
|---|---|
| Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes character | |
 Philip Glenister as Gene Hunt in Ashes to Ashes | |
| First appearance | Life on Mars: Episode 1, series 1 |
| Last appearance | Ashes to Ashes: Episode 8, series 3 |
| Portrayed by | Philip Glenister (older) Mason Kayne (younger) Colm Meaney (US pilot) Harvey Keitel (US version) |
| Books | The Rules of Modern Policing The Future of Modern Policing |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) |
| Occupation | Police Officer Greater Lancaster Constabulary (fictional) (1953) Greater Manchester Police (1973-1980) Metropolitan Police (1981-3) |
| Family | Stuart Hunt (brother; deceased) |
| Spouse | Unnamed wife (divorced before events of Ashes to Ashes in 1981) |
| Nationality | British |
DCI Gene Hunt is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama Life on Mars and its sequel, Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Philip Glenister in both shows. His younger self, also known as the ghost of Gene Hunt, is portrayed by Mason Kayne. In the American adaption, he is portrayed by Harvey Keitel.
The character is portrayed as politically incorrect, brutal, and corrupt, but fundamentally good. Hunt is often depicted to maintain a love–hate relationship with both Sam Tyler (John Simm) and Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes), the protagonists of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, respectively.
The character received critical and public acclaim for his role in Life on Mars, being dubbed a "national hero", an unlikely sex symbol and a "top cop".[1] A third and final series of Ashes to Ashes was said to "reveal all about Gene Hunt and what his alternative world really means in a stunning finale" and that the "truth [would] out".[2] The character is ultimately revealed to be an integral part of the strange world that both Sam Tyler and Alex Drake inhabit.
- ^ Media Monkey (4 July 2008). "Gene Hunt is top cop, says poll". The Guardian. London: Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 3 December 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Final series of Ashes to Ashes will 'reveal all' about Gene Hunt". The Daily Telegraph. London. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.