Mathew Baynton
Mathew John Baynton (born 18 November 1980) is an English actor, writer, comedian, singer, and musician best known as a member of the British Horrible Histories troupe in which he starred in the TV series Horrible Histories; as well as an actor in Yonderland and Ghosts. He was also the co-creator, writer and star of the sitcom The Wrong Mans. Other major television roles include Deano in Gavin & Stacey, Chris Pitt-Goddard in Spy, Simon in Peep Show, and twin brothers Jamie Winton and Ariel Conroy in You, Me and the Apocalypse.
Mathew Baynton | |
|---|---|
Baynton at the 2011 Glasgow Film Festival. | |
| Born | 18 November 1980 Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, writer, comedian, musician |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse | Kelly Robinson |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Early life
Baynton was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. 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]
Career
Acting and writing
Baynton is one of the performers of the hit children's television series Horrible Histories, appearing in the first five series as a singer, actor, and occasional writer.[4] Along with the five other members of the Horrible Histories cast, Baynton is the creator, writer, and star of Yonderland, an eight-part family fantasy comedy series that premiered on Sky1 on 10 November 2013.[5] 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.[6][7] 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.[8] The series is co-produced by online television provider Hulu.com in the United States, where it premiered in November 2013.[9] The first six-part series proved a critical and commercial success, and a similarly well-received two-part sequel was broadcast in December 2014.[10]
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.[11]
Baynton appeared at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, starring in the world premiere of Tom Basden's play Holes.[12] He reprised his role of Gus in a London revival of the same play in summer 2014.[13]
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.
Music
Baynton is a former member of the band Special Benny as a vocalist and guitarist.[14] 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.[15] It consists of four self-penned songs.
Personal life
He and his wife Kelly Robinson, a film historian, have two children: a son, Bo, born in 2011, and a daughter, Ida, born in 2016. [16]
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."[17] He commented during the same interview that while many actors do not want their children to become an actor as well, but Baynton has said that he sees no problem with his son following in his footsteps by stating that "if he enjoys it, so why shouldn't I let him?".[17] 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.[18] 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.'"[18]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1234 | Neil |
| Telstar | Ritchie Blackmore | |
| 2009 | City Rats | Barista |
| 2010 | Hereafter | College Receptionist |
| Tooty's Wedding | Aiden | |
| You Instead | Tyko | |
| 2015 | Bill | William "Bill" Shakespeare Various Characters |
| The Falling | Mr. Hopkins | |
| 2023 | Wonka |
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Learners | Howard |
| 2008 | Ashes to Ashes | Tom Robinson |
| Roman's Empire | Davvy | |
| 2008–2009 | Gavin & Stacey | Deano |
| 2009 | Doc Martin | Junior Chef |
| Horne & Corden | Various characters | |
| Brave Young Men | Dylan | |
| New Town | Derrin | |
| Doc Martin | Chef | |
| 2009–2010 | The Armstrong & Miller Show | Various characters |
| 2009–2013 | Horrible Histories | Various characters including Charles II and Dick Turpin |
| 2010 | The King Is Dead | Various characters |
| The Fleet | Van salesman | |
| The Stephen K. Amos Show | Himself | |
| 2010–2012 | Peep Show | Simon |
| 2011 | BBC Proms: Horrible Histories Big Prom Party | Various characters |
| 2011–2012 | Spy | Chris Pitt-Goddard |
| 2013–2014 | The Wrong Mans | Sam Pinkett |
| 2013–2016 | Yonderland | Various characters |
| 2014 | Blandings | Pongo Twistleton |
| 2015 | You, Me and the Apocalypse | Jamie Winton, Ariel Conroy |
| 2016–present | Bob the Builder | Roland |
| 2016 | Drunk History | Various characters |
| 2017 | Inside No. 9 | Ted |
| Quacks | William Agar | |
| 2018 | Vanity Fair | Bute Crawley |
| The Split | Rex | |
| 2019–present | Ghosts | Thomas Thorne, Mick (Plague Ghost) |
| 2019 | Urban Myths | Kenny Everett |
| 2021 | Death in Paradise | Colin Babcock |
| 2022 | Ghosts (US) | Actor |
Stage
| 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 |
Radio
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | The Miser | Valère https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0013k5l |
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ "MATHEW BAYNTON On Good and Bad Comedy - The Protagonist Magazine". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Cal McCrystal".
- ^ "Mathew Baynton: We couldn't have asked for The Wrong Mans to go any better". Metro. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ West, Naomi (25 May 2010). "How Horrible Histories grew up to be a hit comedy show". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
- ^ "Sky1 to visit Yonderland". Sky1 website. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Stars of Horrible Histories to make Shakespeare film". BBC Media Centre. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Bill: production details". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ "BBC Two announces new comedy, The Wrong Mans". BBC Media Centre. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "BBC, Hulu team on James Corden laffer". Variety online. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Corden Hints at Second Series of The Wrong Mans". Digital Spy. 31 October 2013.
- ^ The Bees - Listening Man, retrieved 22 November 2022
- ^ . The Invisible Dot Ltd. 26 July 2013. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Holes announcement". Arcola Theatre, summer 2014 program. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ^ "About". Special Benny.
- ^ "Dog Ears". Dog Ears.
- ^ Williams, Holly (13 September 2015). "Mathew Baynton interview". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Celebrity interview: Mathew Baynton". Yorkshire Evening Post. 11 November 2013.
- ^ a b ""Let kids wear what they want," says actor Mathew Baynton". Glamour Magazine. 13 November 2017.
- ^ "Fringe Report Awards Book – 2016". Fringe Report. Fringe Report. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Children's in 2010". BAFTA. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "WINNERS 2010". British Comedy Award. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Children's Performer in 2012".
- ^ "Winners Announced at RTS Programme Awards 2013". Royal Television Society. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Television Craft Writer - Comedy in 2014".
- ^ "Male Performance in a Comedy Programme in 2014".
- ^ "Satellite Awards (2014)". International Press Academy. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ "WINNERS 2014". British Comedy Awards. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Nominees for the Banff World Media Festival Rockie Awards Announced". Variety. Variety. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Television Craft in 2015". BAFTA. BAFTA. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ "Scripted Comedy in 2015".
- ^ "Comedy.co.uk Awards 2015 results". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 3 October 2021.