Mathew Baynton | |
---|---|
Born | Mathew John Baynton 18 November 1980 Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England [1] |
Alma mater | Rose Bruford College |
Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian, musician, writer |
Years active | 2000s–present |
Partner | Kelly Robinson |
Children | 2 |
Relatives | Daisy May Cooper (second cousin) Charlie Cooper (second cousin) |
Mathew John Baynton (born 18 November 1980) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. He is best known as a member of the Them There collective in which he wrote and starred in shows including Horrible Histories , Yonderland and Ghosts . He was also the co-creator, writer and star of the comedy-drama The Wrong Mans . Other major television roles include Deano in Gavin & Stacey , Chris Pitt-Goddard in Spy , Simon in Peep Show , William Agar in Quacks and twin brothers Jamie Winton and Ariel Conroy in You, Me and the Apocalypse . He has appeared in several films, including Wonka (2023) and Bill (2015), and is due to appear in the upcoming TV adaptation of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder .
Baynton grew up in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. [1] He is the youngest of three boys, with two older brothers, Daniel and Andrew. He was educated at Southend High School for Boys. He graduated with first class honours from the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, [2] and later trained in clowning at École Philippe Gaulier in Paris. Baynton explained his motivation in an interview with Metro : "The performing instinct came from making my family laugh, so I've always been drawn to the funny side of things. Comedy is really rewarding." [3]
Baynton's second cousins Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper are also in the acting profession. [4]
Baynton is one of the performers of the hit children's television series Horrible Histories , appearing in the first five series as an actor, singer, and occasional writer. [5] Baynton and the other five members of the main Horrible Histories cast form the Them There troupe, which has since created other shows.
Along with the other members of the troupe, Baynton is the creator, writer, and star of Yonderland , a family fantasy comedy series that premiered on Sky1 on 10 November 2013. [6] He starred with the same troupe in Bill , a BBC family comedy film based loosely around the early life of William Shakespeare, who ventures to London to pursue his dream of becoming a playwright. [7] [8] The troupe also reunited in 2019 to create the BBC series Ghosts , with Baynton appearing as a romantic poet named Thomas Thorne.
Baynton teamed with friend and fellow Gavin & Stacey alumnus James Corden to create, write, and star in The Wrong Mans , a comedy-thriller for BBC Two that premiered in autumn 2013. [9] The series is co-produced by online television provider Hulu.com in the United States, where it premiered in November 2013. [10] The first six-part series proved a critical and commercial success, and a similarly well-received two-part sequel was broadcast in December 2014. [11]
Other notable TV comedy roles include Deano in Gavin & Stacey ; Chris in the Darren Boyd sitcom vehicle Spy ; and William in the 2017 black comedy series Quacks .
In 2009, he appeared in a music video for Mercury Prize-nominated band, The Bees. [12]
Baynton appeared at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, starring in the world premiere of Tom Basden's play Holes. [13] He reprised his role of Gus in a London revival of the same play in summer 2014. [14]
In late 2015, Baynton portrayed Jamie Winton and his brother Ariel Conroy in Sky1's science fiction comedy-drama miniseries You, Me and the Apocalypse .
In January 2024, Baynton made his Royal Shakespeare Company debut in Eleanor Rhode's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream as Nick Bottom.
Baynton is a former member of the band Special Benny as a vocalist and guitarist. [15] Their debut album Toys was released in 2010.
He has also performed as a solo act under the name Dog Ears. His debut solo EP, So It Goes, was released in November 2011. [16] It consists of four self-penned songs.
He appeared in 'John Finnemore's Double Acts'
He and his partner Kelly Robinson, a film historian, have two children: a son, Bo, born in 2011, and a daughter, Ida, born in 2016. Baynton and Robinson had a civil partnership ceremony in 2023. [17]
Baynton has commented on his son's skewed view of his father's profession: "He thinks work is putting on a beard. One day his eyes will be opened, but I do find it wonderful that that's his view of work." [18] He commented during the same interview that while many actors do not want their children to become actors as well, he sees no problem with his son following in his footsteps, stating that "if he enjoys it, so why shouldn't I let him?". [18] Bo appeared as the young Mary, Queen of Scots in one episode of Horrible Histories.
Baynton tries to keep Bo and Ida out of the spotlight. However, Baynton raised awareness about breaking gender barriers after Bo was mocked in the park for wearing a pink bicycle helmet. [19] Baynton expressed his belief that he lets his son express his likes and dislikes freely without categorising toys and colours in gendered categories. Baynton stated "I won't be teaching my boy how to be a 'boy'." [19]
† | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Learners | Howard | Television film |
2008 | 1234 | Neil | |
Telstar | Ritchie Blackmore | ||
2009 | Purves & Pekkala | Derrin | Television film |
Brave Young Men | Dylan | Television film | |
City Rats | Barista | ||
2010 | Hereafter | College Receptionist | |
2011 | Tooty's Wedding | Aiden | Short film |
You Instead | Tyko | ||
2014 | The Falling | Mr. Hopkins | |
2015 | Bill | William "Bill" Shakespeare/Lord Burghley/English Messenger/Customs Official | |
Across the Sea | Short film | ||
2023 | Wonka | Felix Fickelgruber | |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Roman's Empire | Davvy | Miniseries; 1 episode |
2008 | Ashes to Ashes | Tom Robinson | 1 episode |
2008-09 | Gavin & Stacey | Deano | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
2009 | Horne & Corden | Various roles | Series regular; 6 episodes |
Doc Martin | Junior Chef | Episode: "Do Not Disturb" | |
2009–10 | The Armstrong & Miller Show | Various roles | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
2009–13 | Horrible Histories | Various roles | Series regular; 46 episodes |
2010 | The Stephen K. Amos Show | Whale Charity Fundraiser | 1 episode |
2010–12 | Peep Show | Simon | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
2011 | Horrible Histories with Stephen Fry | Various roles | 1 episode |
BBC Proms | Various roles | Episode: "Prom 20: Horrible Histories Big Prom Party" | |
2011–12 | Spy | Chris Pitt-Goddard | Series regular; 16 episodes |
2013 | Psychobitches | Jesus | 1 episode |
2013–14 | The Wrong Mans | Sam Pinkett | Series regular; 10 episodes |
2013–16 | Yonderland | Various roles | Series regular; 25 episodes |
2014 | Blandings | Pongo | Episode: "Throwing Eggs" |
Psychobitches | Witch of Wookey Hole | 1 episode | |
2015 | You, Me and the Apocalypse | Jamie Winton/Ariel Conroy | Series regular; 10 episodes |
2015–17 | Bob the Builder | Roland | Voice role; 5 episodes |
2016 | Year Friends | Reporter | Episode: "December" |
2016–17 | Drunk History | Various roles | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
2017 | Inside No. 9 | Ted | Episode: "Diddle Diddle Dumpling" |
Quacks | William | Series regular; 6 episodes | |
Thunderbirds Are Go | Jimmy/Crewman Hooper | Episode: "Rigged for Disaster" | |
2018 | Pixies | Tatum | 1 episode |
Vanity Fair | Bute Crawley | Miniseries; 4 episodes | |
2018–20 | The Split | Rex Pope | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
2019 | Urban Myths | Kenny Everett | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
2019–23 | Ghosts | Thomas Thorne | Series regular; 35 episodes |
2021 | Hitmen | Kieran Roberts | Episode: "Impersonation" |
Death in Paradise | Colin Babcock | Episode: "Christmas Special" | |
2022 | Ghosts | Actor Pete | Episode: "Dumb Deaths" |
2023 | Murder Is Easy | Dr. Thomas [20] | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
TBA | † A Good Girl's Guide to Murder | Elliot Ward [21] | Post-production |
Year | Title | Role | Venue | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Loot | Meadows & Mrs. McLeavy | Derby Playhouse, Derby | |
2005 | The Bubonic Play | Minstrel | Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh | as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe |
2006 | Hello Dalai | Various Roles | Underbelly, Edinburgh | as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe |
2007 | Office Party | Barbican Centre, London | ||
2011 | Horrible Histories: BBC Proms 2011 | Various Roles | Royal Albert Hall, London | as part of BBC Proms |
2013 | Holes | Gus | Assembly George Square Studios, Edinburgh | as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe |
2024 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Bottom | Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon | RSC debut |
Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2015–2021 | Reluctant Persuaders | Joe Starling | [22] |
2015 | Double Acts | Mike | [23] |
2016 | Forty Weeks | Sam | [24] |
2018 | My Boy Jack | Reader | [25] |
2022 | The Miser | Valère | [26] |
2022 | The World of Simon Rich | Various characters | [27] |
2023 | She Stoops to Conquer | Marlow | [28] |
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Simon Farnaby is an English actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his work with the Them There collective where he has written and starred in productions including Horrible Histories, Yonderland, and Ghosts.
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Laurence Rickard is an English actor, writer, and comedian best known as a member of the Them There collective, with whom he both wrote and starred in productions including Horrible Histories, Yonderland, and Ghosts. In 2022, along with fellow Them There member Ben Willbond, he co-wrote the feature length television comedy We Are Not Alone.
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The Wrong Mans is a British comedy drama television series, produced by BBC Television and Hulu. It premiered on BBC Two on 24 September 2013 and in the United States on 11 November 2013. Considered a critical and ratings success, it was co-created and written by Gavin & Stacey alumni James Corden and Mathew Baynton as an attempt to combine the situation comedy format with the intricate plotting and storytelling tropes of an action-adventure series.
Yonderland is a British sitcom television series that was broadcast on Sky One from November 2013 to December 2016. It was produced by Sioned Wiliam, and was created by, written by and starred the main performers from CBBC's series Horrible Histories.
Horrible Histories is a British children's live-action historical and musical sketch comedy television series, based on the bestselling book series of the same name by Terry Deary. The show was produced for CBBC by Lion Television with Citrus Television and ran from 2009 to 2014 for five series of thirteen half-hour episodes, with additional one-off seasonal and Olympic specials.
Bill is a 2015 British family adventure comedy film from the principal performers behind children's TV series Horrible Histories and Yonderland. It was produced by Punk Cinema, Cowboy Films and BBC Films and was released in the UK on 18 September 2015 by Vertigo Films. The film is a fictional take on the young William Shakespeare's search for fame and fortune, as written by Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond and directed by Richard Bracewell who co-produced with Tony Bracewell, Alasdair Flind and Charles Steel. It features the six lead performers playing several different roles each including Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Ben Willbond, Simon Farnaby, Jim Howick and Laurence Rickard. Bill has received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed $968,534 worldwide. The film also received nominations for the Evening Standard British Film Award for Award for Comedy and the Into Film Award for Family Film of the Year.
Ghosts is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from April 2019 to December 2023. It follows a group of ghosts from different historical periods haunting a country house while sharing it with its new living occupants. It is written and performed by the collective group Them There, who had previously worked together on productions including Horrible Histories and Yonderland.
Them There is a theatrical production collective made up of a group of comedy writers and performers, notable for working on a range of projects together including Horrible Histories, Yonderland, and Ghosts. They are also informally referred to as the Horrible Histories troupe and The Six Idiots.