House Coming Home

Actor Hugh Laurie is set to become an honorary fellow of Selwyn college.

Laurie, who hit world stardom with his role as medical misanthrope Dr Gregory House, is to be honoured by his alma mater later in the year.

The House star studied Social Anthropology at Selwyn, and the college has described giving the prestigious award to Laurie as a “pleasure and a privilege”. It is understood Laurie has sent a hand-written letter of thanks in return.

A keen athlete and actor, Laurie rowed in the Blues boat in 1980 and became president of the Footlights in 1981, where he met fellow future house-hold names Emma Thompson and Stephen Fry.

Alongside Fry, who got an honorary fellowship from Queens’ in 2005, Laurie made his name in British comedy, starring in sketch show A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster and playing the moronic Prince Regent in Blackadder the Third.

Laurie’s really cunning plan, however, was to audition for US medical drama House in 2003. The worldwide smash hit drama is now into its eighth season.

Most recently, Hugh has tried his hand as a musician, giving an album of classic blues tunes the Dr House treatment.

Alumni also honoured by Selwyn this year will be journalist and writer Robert Harris, and Britain’s top soldier, General Sir Peter Wall.

Students have had a mixed reaction to their college honouring the celeb:

Joel Fenster, a Selwyn fresher, told The Tab “well he is really our only famous alumnus, so we might as well honour him. It’s nice to know our academic legacy is with an actor.”

Hannah Potts, a second year Selwyn English student, detected a note of cynicism in the move, saying “I think it’s good that they’re showing recognition of his achievements as an ex-Selwynite; though I think there’s probably a hidden motive in that it’ll drum up a bit of recognition for the college if they have famous fellows.”