Biography
A bit of a jack-of-all-trades, Peter Baynham is most accomplished as a screenwriter, but he has also appeared in film and TV productions, and has even moonlighted as a director. Baynham got his start in entertainment writing and voicing British radio shows. In 1994, he became a regular writer on the news spoof show "The Day Today," starring Steve Coogan, Chris Morris, and Patrick Marber, among other English comedic notables. Baynham also wrote for the popular comedies "I'm Alan Partridge" and "Brass Eye," and acted briefly in episodes of each program. Aside from a minor role in the rock-themed feature "Still Crazy," starring Bill Nighy and Billy Connolly, Baynham has mainly stayed focused on behind-the-scenes work, even directing, as well as writing, the cheeky animated TV show "I'm Not an Animal" in 2004. Two years later, he co-penned the outrageous hit comedy "Borat," along with star Sacha Baron Cohen and others, leading, remarkably enough, to an Academy Award nomination. In 2009, Baynham reunited with much of the "Borat" crew for another Baron Cohen character comedy, "Brüno," which wasn't as well received. Continuing to work as a screenwriter, he penned the script of the 2011 remake of "Arthur," starring Russell Brand and Helen Mirren, and also co-wrote the holiday-oriented animated movie "Arthur Christmas" with Sarah Smith, a longtime associate.
