Peter Baynham

Writer, actor and producer, also director · Born June 28, 1963 (63) · Cardiff, Wales, UK

BAFTA Award winner · Oscar nominee · 1 other major award body

Peter Baynham is a Welsh screenwriter and performer. He is best known for appearing in a series of comedic Pot Noodle television adverts in the 1990s. His work largely represents collaborations with comedy figures such as Armando Iannucci, Steve Coogan, Chris Morris, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Sarah Smith. Born in Cardiff, Baynham served in the Merchant Navy after leaving school and later pursued a career in comedy — first in stand-up, and then as a writer and performer for various news and sketch comedies in radio and television while enjoying personal fame starring in Pot Noodle adverts. He then became a writer in feature film. In television, with Iannucci he is writer for I'm Alan Partridge, developing the character Alan Partridge as performed by Coogan, and as writer and host of the Armistice review shows. With Morris, he is writer for The Day Today, Brass Eye, and Jam. Baynham himself created the animated series I Am Not an Animal. In feature film, with Baron Cohen he is writer for Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006), Brüno (2009), Grimsby (2016), and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020). With Smith, he is writer for Arthur Christmas (2011) and Ron's Gone Wrong (2021). With Iannucci and Coogan, he is writer for Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013). Other features as writer include Arthur (2011) and Hotel Transylvania (2012). From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What are Peter Baynham's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy6 titles50^th

Animation3 titles84^th

Action2 titles63^rd

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Bonds

29%

Self

28%

Society

24%

Morality

9%

Ideas

5%

Power

5%

Identity8 Family bonds4 Prejudice3 Fame2 Purpose2 Deception2 Friendship2 Community2

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Wry

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 6 · Wry 1 · Earnest 4

Light

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 4 · Intense 4

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 3

Funny

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 10

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 4

Casual

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 10 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Easy watch

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 11 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 0

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd

11

Joyful

7

Warm

6

Manic

3

Thrilling

2

Other

7

How their films linger

Fun8 Feel-good5 Thought-provoking6 Hopeful3 Bittersweet2 Unsettling2

How their films end

Happy4
Bittersweet8
Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Peter Baynham's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Magnolia Selects1 title, show their title on Magnolia Selects
Sony Pictures Core1 title, show their title on Sony Pictures Core

Subscription and free streaming for Peter Baynham's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

34 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

Ali G: Who Iz I?(2026)
Producer · Writer
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Ron's Gone Wrong(2021)
Executive Producer · Writer
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Borat: VHS Cassette of Material Deemed "Sub-Acceptable" by Kazakhstan Ministry of Censorship and Circumcision (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Executive Producer · Writer
Debunking Borat(2021)
Show Producer
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm(2020)
Executive Producer · Screenplay
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Bob Monkhouse: The Last Stand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Actor
The Brothers Grimsby(2016)
Producer · Screenplay · as Traffic Warden
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
Alan Partridge(2013)
Executive Producer · Writer
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Bright Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
as Daddy
Hotel Transylvania(2012)
Screenplay
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
The Dictator(2012)
Executive Producer
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Arthur Christmas(2011)
Co-Executive Producer · Screenplay · as Elf (voice)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Arthur(2011)
Screenplay
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Brüno(2009)
Associate Producer · Story
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Borat(2006)
Producer · Screenplay · Story
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
I Am Not an Animal(2004)
Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows
Shaun of the Dead(2004)
as Man in Street (uncredited)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Anglian Lives: Alan Partridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Associate Producer · Writer · as Ray Woollard
Cruise of the Gods(2002)
Writer
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Combat Sheep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Writer
The Junkies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
as Jackie
Jam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Show 6 episodes · Writer
Big Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Show 2 episodes · Writer
Still Crazy(1998)
as Kevin
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Bob and Margaret(1993)
Show 52 episodes · Writer · Actor
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
I'm Alan Partridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Show 12 episodes · Creator · Producer · Writer · as Hugh Morris
Introducing Tony Ferrino: Who and Why? A Quest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
as Ross Woollard
Brass Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Show 4 episodes · Additional Writing · as Sven Yabbsley · as Welsh Naval Officer
Lee and Herring Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
as Peter
The Saturday Night Armistice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Show 24 episodes · Writer · Actor
Fist of Fun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Show 12 episodes · Writer · Actor
The Day Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Show 6 episodes · Writer · as Colin Poppshed
Terry Wogan's Friday Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Show 19 episodes · Script
The Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Show 1 episode · as Mickey Tulliver

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles from 1984 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

$366M worldwide

Highest rated

Borat (2006)

Midcredits 90^th

Film career

MilestoneNomination

19842026

1998Screen debut· Still Crazy
2011BAFTA Award nomination· Arthur Christmas

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting17 of 33 · 81^stDirecting1 of 33Writing20 of 33 · 78^thProducing11 of 33 · 63^rdOther crew4 of 33

33 titles, 14 with more than one role — writing and acting overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s11 · 9 acting · 7 crew2000s9 · 3 acting · 7 crew2010s8 · 4 acting · 6 crew2020s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a BAFTA Award and 1 other major award from 6 major nominations, 1998–2021.

WinNomination

2021
- Oscar, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay
- +1 other major body · 1 win
  - Writers Guild Award, won · Adapted Screenplay
2012
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Feature Film
2007
- Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay
- +1 other major body · 1 nomination
  - Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay
1998
- BAFTA Award, won · Best Comedy (Programme or Series)

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Peter Baynham's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72^nd percentile, the median of all 14; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

65^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

96^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

75^th and up8
50^th to 74^th4
25^th to 49^th3
Below 25^th2

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 17 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved1
Divisive1
Crowd Pleaser11
Mixed4

Most divisive · writer, producer

Ali G: Who Iz I? (2026)

99^th percentile spread · 68% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Midcredits 97^th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 64/100 and the plot and story 43/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Peter Baynham's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and alcohol & drugs lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Violence & Gore7 titles24–48 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all films

Sex & Nudity8 titles18–87 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most films

Profanity7 titles10–83 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most films

Alcohol & Drugs7 titles12–55 · median 16 · mildlighter than most films

Frightening / Intense7 titles18–41 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all films

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.