Mathew Baynton
Mathew Baynton
Mathew Bayntonis an English actor, writer, comedian, singer, and musician. He is best known as the co-creator, writer and star of the sitcoms The Wrong Mans and Yonderland, as well as a member of the starring troupe of children's sketch comedy Horrible Histories. Other major television roles include Deano in Gavin & Stacey, Chris Pitt-Goddard in Spy, and twin brothers Jamie Winton and Ariel Conroy in You, Me and the Apocalypse...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionTV Actor
Date of Birth18 November 1980
CitySouthend-on-Sea, England
Growing up, I watched shows such as 'Blackadder' and 'Monty Python' with my parents.
I've seen a lot of shows, but I can't possibly cram in everything that I'd like to, and it's exhausting trying to.
I went to drama school and, after that, went to Paris to train at a place called Ecole Philippe Gaulier. When I came home, I realised I'd have to have a serious stab at it. I didn't have an agent and didn't have the traditional drama school showcase, so I started a comedy group with a couple of friends.
In comedy you feel you need to go back to the theatre every now and again, you feel you need to go back to an audience every now and again to see if you're still getting your craft right, making people laugh at the moments you think they should and that sort of thing.
There's a reason people love watching blooper reels of actors falling about laughing.
I think we all have a similar philosophy about comedy and comic performance which is that it's at its best when you can see the pleasure the performer has, when you can see a glimmer in the eye.
When I watch comedy I love to see that pleasure in the performer's eye and that sense of cheek - and even those moments when you can see someone is trying not to laugh.
It's so infectious to watch people having fun.
When you're surrounded by brilliant people it really is just easy to do your job.
I always performed as a kid to make my family laugh and was more concerned with making kids at school laugh than I was about the lessons.
I always had the desire to perform. If it wasn't my career now, I'd still be doing amateur dramatics. It's just something you love, and when you get paid to do it, you pinch yourself every day.