Robert Webb – Biography, Heart Surgery, Books and Latest News 2025

Robert Webb is a British comedian, actor, and author best known for playing the hapless musician Jez in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show. Alongside his comedy partner David Mitchell, he has built a career spanning more than two decades. In 2020, he underwent emergency open heart surgery following the discovery of a congenital heart defect, an event that reshaped both his health and his outlook on life.

Born in Lincolnshire, Webb first gained attention on the Cambridge comedy circuit before breaking into television with the sketch show Bruiser. His work on That Mitchell and Webb Look and Peep Show cemented his reputation as one of Britain’s most distinctive comic performers. In recent years, he has shifted his focus toward writing, publishing a critically acclaimed memoir and a debut novel.

As of 2025, Webb is 53 years old, has recovered from major heart surgery, and continues to write and spend time with his family. He has described feeling like it is a “beautiful miracle to be alive” after nearly dying from an undiagnosed condition.

Who is Robert Webb?

Key insights

• Webb formed one of the most enduring comedy duos in British television with David Mitchell, a partnership that has lasted over 25 years.
• His memoir How Not to Be a Boy became a Sunday Times bestseller and was praised for its candid exploration of masculinity.
• He withdrew from Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 after a routine medical check-up revealed a serious heart condition that required surgery.
• His 2020 open heart surgery was described as a “complete success,” restoring normal heart function and life expectancy.

Quick facts

What is Robert Webb’s early background?

Robert Patrick Webb was born on 29 September 1972 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. He grew up in a working-class family and has spoken openly about how his upbringing shaped his later writing. He attended the University of Cambridge, where he met David Mitchell, a meeting that would define his professional career.

How did Robert Webb meet David Mitchell?

Webb and Mitchell met at Cambridge University and formed a comedy duo that began performing on the university circuit. Their first major television break came with the BBC sketch show Bruiser in 2000. They went on to create the Channel 4 sketch series That Mitchell and Webb Look (2006-2008), which won the 2007 Royal Television Society Award for Comedy Performance.

What is Robert Webb Best Known For?

What character did Robert Webb play in Peep Show?

Webb played Jeremy “Jez” Usborne, an unemployed and directionless musician, in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show. The show ran for nine series from 2003 to 2015, making it the longest-running sitcom in Channel 4 history. The series was notable for its use of point-of-view camera work and internal monologues, a format that became a signature of the show’s humour.

What movies and TV shows has he been in?

Beyond Peep Show, Webb appeared in the Channel 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look, the sitcom Back (co-starring with David Mitchell), and the BBC series The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff. He also had film roles in Confetti, Magicians, and Burke and Hare. In 2021, he joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing as a contestant but withdrew early due to health concerns.

How successful was Mitchell and Webb?

The duo’s partnership is considered one of the most successful in modern British comedy. Their sketch work earned them a loyal following and critical recognition. In addition to their television work, they co-authored This Mitchell and Webb Book in 2009, a collection of sketches and essays. Webb has described his career as having “refocused” from acting to writing, calling being an author “the job I always wanted to do.”

Did Robert Webb Have Heart Surgery?

What was the heart condition?

Webb was born with a congenital mitral valve prolapse, a heart murmur that required urgent intervention. The condition was discovered during a routine medical check-up in 2019 while he was filming the second series of Back with David Mitchell. Doctors told him his heart was “on its last legs” and could fail without surgery.

When did the surgery happen?

He underwent open heart surgery in October or November 2020. The operation was described as a “complete success,” restoring normal heart function and giving him a normal life expectancy. The surgery forced him to quit alcohol and cigarettes; he celebrated his first year sober in October 2021.

What is his current health status in 2025?

Following his 2020 surgery, Webb reports having a normal life with no long-term restrictions on his life expectancy. He has described the surgery as a “gift” that motivated him to prioritize his health. In 2025, there are no reports of new health crises, and his primary focus remains on his writing career and family life.

What Books Has Robert Webb Written?

What is ‘How Not to be a Boy’ about?

Published in 2017, How Not to Be a Boy is a memoir that details Webb’s upbringing in working-class Lincolnshire. It explores themes of masculinity, grief, and identity, drawing on his own experiences of growing up and losing his mother. The book was a Sunday Times bestseller and was praised for its vulnerability and honesty.

What is ‘Come Again’ about?

Come Again (2020) is Webb’s debut novel. It tells the story of a widowed woman whose husband dies from a brain tumour he did not know he had. The novel blends humour and tragedy, reflecting Webb’s characteristic tone. He has described writing fiction as a natural extension of his creative work.

Are his books autobiographical?

His memoir How Not to Be a Boy is explicitly autobiographical. His novel Come Again is a work of fiction, though it draws on themes of loss and mortality that Webb has experienced personally. He also co-authored This Mitchell and Webb Book (2009), a collection of sketches and essays from their television shows.

Who is Robert Webb Married To?

Who is Abigail Burdess?

Webb is married to Abigail Burdess, a writer and comedian. Burdess has worked as a scriptwriter for television and radio, including contributing to shows such as The Now Show and The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4. The couple married in 2011.

Does Robert Webb have children?

Webb and Burdess have two daughters, Esme and Dory. He has spoken in interviews about how his health scare and subsequent recovery have deepened his commitment to family life. As of 2025, he prioritises spending time with his wife and children alongside his writing work.

What are the key milestones in Robert Webb’s life?

1. 1972 – Born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.
2. 1990s – Meets David Mitchell at Cambridge University; they form a comedy duo.
3. 2000 – First major TV break with the BBC sketch show Bruiser.
4. 2003 – Peep Show premieres on Channel 4.
5. 2006 – That Mitchell and Webb Look launches; wins Royal Television Society Award in 2007.
6. 2017 – Publishes memoir How Not to Be a Boy.
7. 2020 – Publishes debut novel Come Again; undergoes open heart surgery in October/November.
8. 2021 – Participates in and withdraws from Strictly Come Dancing due to heart condition; celebrates one year sober.
9. 2025 – Continues to write and focus on family life; no new health crises reported.

What is known and unknown about Robert Webb’s health?

What is Robert Webb’s cultural impact?

Peep Show is widely regarded as a landmark sitcom of the 2000s, known for its innovative use of point-of-view camera work and its unflinching portrayal of awkward, ordinary lives. Webb’s performance as Jez, alongside Mitchell’s Mark, created a dynamic that resonated with audiences and critics alike. The show’s influence can be seen in later comedy series that adopted similar tonal and structural approaches.

Webb’s transition from actor to author is notable for its depth. His memoir How Not to Be a Boy contributed to a broader cultural conversation about masculinity and mental health. The book’s success demonstrated that a comedian could pivot to serious literary memoir without losing the voice that made him famous. His health crisis and subsequent recovery added a further layer of authenticity to his writing, giving it a gravity that extended beyond comedy.

The Mitchell and Webb partnership remains one of the most enduring in British comedy. Their work spans more than two decades and includes multiple television series, a book, and live performances. Webb’s decision to prioritise writing and family over acting reflects a broader shift in his career, one that has been shaped by personal experience and enforced by his health.

What has Robert Webb said about his experiences?

“It’s a beautiful miracle to be alive.”

— Robert Webb, speaking about his recovery from heart surgery (source: Daily Mail)

“The surgery was a gift. It motivated me to prioritise my health and put myself first.”

— Robert Webb, in an interview with RTE (source: rte.ie)

“Being an author is the job I always wanted to do.”

— Robert Webb, on his career shift toward writing (source: Sky News)

What is the bottom line on Robert Webb?

Robert Webb is a British comedian, actor, and writer who rose to fame as part of the Mitchell and Webb duo and through his role in Peep Show. After a life-saving heart surgery in 2020, he has refocused his career on writing and family. He is now 53 years old, in good health, and continues to publish books and engage with audiences selectively. For readers interested in similar figures in British comedy, see the John Bishop – Biography, Wife, Football Career and Tour and Aisling Bea – Biography, BAFTA Win, and Latest Projects.

Frequently asked questions about Robert Webb