HUGH won a scholarship to train as an actor at Italia Conti Stage School in 1958. He made his professional debut the following year playing the Small Boy in Jean Anouilh's Traveller Without Luggage at the Arts Theatre, directed by Peter Hall. He was an actor for next 25 years appearing many times in the West End, in repertory across the UK and at the Old Vic in King John and the National Theatre in Jumpers.

His first television play was in 1959 as Toby in A Day by the Sea, starring John Gielgud. He made nearly 100 more TV appearances including Edward V in An Age of Kings, Dave Banks in Badger's Bend, Woody Woods in Crossroads, Wat Raleigh in Churchill's People and Arthur Hughes in The Love School.

He made over 100 radio broadcasts, including several series as Jennings in Jennings At School, in the days when radio was still known as wireless.

His first film was in 1962 playing the lead, Richard, in Night Cargoes for CFF. He subsequently appeared in eleven films including Valentino, Bindle and Inshore Operation.

When the late Peter Walker asked him to write the book and lyrics for his musical Dancers in 1975, Hugh's life changed. Over the next four years he wrote one produced play (and many more that were un-produced) before joining the long-running BBC television series Play Away. He remained with the show as writer and script consultant until 1983, whilst also devising children's shows for other companies. Hugh has worked as a writer ever since.