Simon Bird
Encyclopedia
Simon Antony Bird is an actor, writer and comedian. He is best known for playing Will McKenzie in E4’s BAFTA-winning TV comedy The Inbetweeners
.
, Surrey
, a son of Heather (née Gage) and Graham Bird, an economics professor at University of Surrey (England). He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford
before studying at Queens' College, Cambridge
. Bird was the President of Cambridge University's sketch group, The Footlights
. Bird's older brother, Alan, is the current head of sixth form at Brighton College
. He is also a Crystal Palace FC fan.
(who plays Simon Cooper in The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet
. They performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2007 and in 2008 with a show called The Meeting, described as a site-specific comedy installation set in an actual boardroom, which received national media attention and a clutch of five-star reviews. Bird and Thomas were also regulars on series 1 and 2 of The Weekly Show, a podcast for Channel 4 Radio
(2006-7).
Bird also performs stand-up comedy and took part in Chortle's national student comedy awards in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, coming second in his final attempt. (He was a finalist in 2006, and was disqualified for deliberately breaking the rules in 2007.)
as Will McKenzie, along with Joe Thomas
. He won the 2008 British Comedy Award for Best Male Newcomer and the 2009 British Comedy Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for Best Comedy Performance at the 2008 Royal Television Society
Awards, and Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme at the 2009 BAFTA Awards.
comedy panel show The King Is Dead, in which a well-known person is hypothetically killed off and a panel of three personalities go head-to-head in a series of satirical quiz rounds and challenges in their bid to replace them. He hosted alongside Nick Mohammed
and Katy Wix
.
Another of Bird's projects is Friday Night Dinner
, which was broadcast on Channel 4
from February to April 2011. It is a single-camera comedy, written by Robert Popper
, former producer of Peep Show and co-creator of BBC2's Look Around You
. It was made by Big Talk Productions
, which made Spaced
, and Popper Pictures. Each episode takes place over the course of a Friday night, as twenty-something brothers Adam (Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal
) go to their parents' house for their traditional Friday night dinner. Although his character in Friday Night Dinner is a member of a Jewish family (the Friday night dinner being a Jewish tradition), Bird himself is not Jewish.
Bird has also recently co-created, co-written, and co-starred in a pilot, 'Chickens', for Channel 4, alongside Jonny Sweet and Joe Thomas. It is about three men who remain in England during World War I. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase
season.
Simon Bird also starred as his character Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners Movie which was released on the 17 August 2011, alongside his fellow friends in the series.
The Inbetweeners
The Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was...
.
Early life
Bird was born in GuildfordGuildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, a son of Heather (née Gage) and Graham Bird, an economics professor at University of Surrey (England). He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford
Royal Grammar School, Guildford
The Royal Grammar School is a selective English independent day school for boys in Guildford, Surrey. The school dates its founding to the death of Robert Beckingham in 1509 who left provision in his will to 'make a free scole at the Towne of Guldford'; in 1512 a governing body was set up to form...
before studying at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
. Bird was the President of Cambridge University's sketch group, The Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
. Bird's older brother, Alan, is the current head of sixth form at Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
. He is also a Crystal Palace FC fan.
Comedy rise
While completing an MA in Cultural & Critical Studies at Birkbeck College, University of London, Bird set up the sketch comedy group 'The House of Windsor' with Joe ThomasJoe Thomas (actor)
Joseph "Joe" Thomas is an English actor perhaps best known for his role as Simon Cooper in the E4's comedy The Inbetweeners...
(who plays Simon Cooper in The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet
Jonny Sweet
Jonny Sweet is a British comedian and winner of the 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award for best newcomer.-Early life:Sweet was born and educated in Nottingham and attended Nottingham High School, before going to Cambridge University.-Career:...
. They performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2007 and in 2008 with a show called The Meeting, described as a site-specific comedy installation set in an actual boardroom, which received national media attention and a clutch of five-star reviews. Bird and Thomas were also regulars on series 1 and 2 of The Weekly Show, a podcast for Channel 4 Radio
Channel 4 Radio
Channel 4 Radio was a radio brand launched by Channel 4 in January 2007. On October 11, 2008 the closure was announced. It incorporated Oneword, in which Channel 4 purchased a 51% share in 2005, although it relinquished this share to co-owner UBS Media in January 2008.Listeners were required to...
(2006-7).
Bird also performs stand-up comedy and took part in Chortle's national student comedy awards in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, coming second in his final attempt. (He was a finalist in 2006, and was disqualified for deliberately breaking the rules in 2007.)
Breakthrough
In 2008, Bird was cast in E4's teen comedy The InbetweenersThe Inbetweeners
The Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was...
as Will McKenzie, along with Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas (actor)
Joseph "Joe" Thomas is an English actor perhaps best known for his role as Simon Cooper in the E4's comedy The Inbetweeners...
. He won the 2008 British Comedy Award for Best Male Newcomer and the 2009 British Comedy Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for Best Comedy Performance at the 2008 Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Awards, and Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme at the 2009 BAFTA Awards.
Subsequent work
In 2010 Bird created a BBC ThreeBBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
comedy panel show The King Is Dead, in which a well-known person is hypothetically killed off and a panel of three personalities go head-to-head in a series of satirical quiz rounds and challenges in their bid to replace them. He hosted alongside Nick Mohammed
Nick Mohammed
Nick Mohammed is a British comedian, actor and writer.-Early life:Nick Mohammed started his school life at Meanwood C of E primary in Leeds LS7....
and Katy Wix
Katy Wix
Katy Wix is a Welsh actress who has appeared in Not Going Out, Comic Relief Special, Rush Hour, Miranda and Torchwood.She also has numerous recurring roles in Horrible Histories...
.
Another of Bird's projects is Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner is a British television sitcom written by Robert Popper and starring Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal and Mark Heap. The first series aired from February 2011 on Channel 4. A second series has been commissioned by Channel 4. The series began airing in the U.S...
, which was broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
from February to April 2011. It is a single-camera comedy, written by Robert Popper
Robert Popper
Robert Popper is a BAFTA winning comedy producer, writer and actor, best known as co-creator of the mock BBC documentary Look Around You, in which he also plays the part of Jack Morgan...
, former producer of Peep Show and co-creator of BBC2's Look Around You
Look Around You
Look Around You is a British television comedy series devised and written by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, and, in the first series, narrated by Nigel Lambert...
. It was made by Big Talk Productions
Big Talk Productions
Big Talk Productions Ltd. is an English film and television production company established in 1995 by Nira Park. The company, located in London, has produced films such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz; it is also known for its British sitcoms such as Spaced and Free Agents...
, which made Spaced
Spaced
Spaced is a British television sitcom written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright. It is noted for its rapid-fire editing, frequent pop culture references and jokes, eclectic music, and occasional displays of surrealism and non-sequitur humour...
, and Popper Pictures. Each episode takes place over the course of a Friday night, as twenty-something brothers Adam (Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal
Tom Rosenthal
Thomas Alan S. Rosenthal is an English comedian. He is the son of sports commentator, Jim Rosenthal.-Biography:After attending Reading Blue Coat School, he studied philosophy at King’s College London and has done voice-over work for Comedy Central and other clients in the film and television...
) go to their parents' house for their traditional Friday night dinner. Although his character in Friday Night Dinner is a member of a Jewish family (the Friday night dinner being a Jewish tradition), Bird himself is not Jewish.
Bird has also recently co-created, co-written, and co-starred in a pilot, 'Chickens', for Channel 4, alongside Jonny Sweet and Joe Thomas. It is about three men who remain in England during World War I. It was broadcast as part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase
Comedy Showcase
Comedy Showcase is a series of one-off comedy specials featuring some of Britain's fledgling comedy talent. Its format is reminiscent of the much earlier Comedy Playhouse....
season.
Simon Bird also starred as his character Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners Movie which was released on the 17 August 2011, alongside his fellow friends in the series.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-2010 | The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was... |
Will McKenzie | British Comedy Award Best Male Comedy NewcomerBritish Comedy Award Best TV Comedy ActorNominated - BAFTA Award for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Role British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... |
| 2011 | Friday Night Dinner Friday Night Dinner Friday Night Dinner is a British television sitcom written by Robert Popper and starring Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird, Tom Rosenthal and Mark Heap. The first series aired from February 2011 on Channel 4. A second series has been commissioned by Channel 4. The series began airing in the U.S... |
Adam | |
| The Inbetweeners Movie | Will McKenzie | Bird's first feature film role | |
| Chickens | Cecil | Part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase |