Simon Farnaby

In 2023, he co-wrote and appeared in Wonka, a film which serves as a prequel to the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, exploring Willy Wonka's origins.

• Name — Simon Farnaby • Born — 2 April 1973 • Birthplace — Darlington, County Durham, England • Occupation — Actor, comedian, writer • Years Active — 1994present • Spouse — Claire Keelan • Children — 1

Farnaby was born on 2 April 1973 in Darlington, County Durham and attended Richmond School, North Yorkshire.

Farnaby was a long-time member of The Mighty Boosh supporting cast, having had roles both in their series and co-starring in the quasi-spinoff film Bunny and the Bull. Other notable television work includes recurring roles in the sitcoms Jam & Jerusalem, The Midnight Beast and Detectorists. He previously had a very brief role in one episode of Coronation Street in the 1990s. Farnaby has presented a number of factual programmes including Richard III: The King in the Car Park in 2013, tracing the discovery and identification of the remains of the last Plantagenet king, the 2014 Channel 4 documentary series entitled Man Vs Weird, in which he travelled the world investigating people who claim superhuman abilities, and as narrator of the Channel 5 docu-series called On the Yorkshire Buses, following East Yorkshire Motor Services. Farnaby accepted a TV BAFTA in 2023 for memorable TV moment, for a short film broadcast as part of the Platinum Party at the Palace for the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022, in which Farnaby played a butler.

• Illustration — L-R: Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Mathew Baynton, Laurence Rickard, Ben Willbond and Jim Howick at the 2011 Children's BAFTAs. Farnaby has worked extensively with the Them There collective of six writers and actors, who started as principal members of the cast of the CBBC live-action series Horrible Histories, where he played offbeat characters including Caligula and Death. Farnaby, along with the five other collective members, co-created, wrote and starred in Yonderland (20132016), which was broadcast on Sky One for three series. Farnaby had his first major involvement with the creation of a film with the troupe, on the 2015 historical comedy film Bill, based loosely around the early life of William Shakespeare. The same collective then went on to create the BBC show Ghosts, which ran for five seasons before the team decided to retire it. Farnaby played the fictitious Conservative politician ghost, Julian Fawcett, who always appeared without trousers.

Farnaby is married to actress Claire Keelan (his second wife) with whom he has a daughter, born in 2014.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1994 — The House of Windsor — Sean Sutcliffe — 1 episode • 1996 — Coronation Street — Greg Bamfield • 2004–2007 — The Mighty Boosh — Various characters — 3 episodes • 2005 — The Lenny Henry Show — Twyford — 1 episode • Spoons — Various Characters — 6 episodes • 2006 — Blunder • 2006–2009 — Jam & Jerusalem — Samuel "Spike" Pike — 12 episodes • 2007 — Comedy Cuts — Werewolf — 1 episode • The Yellow House — Henri — TV movie • Strutter — Various — 2 episodes • 2008 — M.I. High — James Blond — 1 episode • The Golf War — Stuart Ogilvy — Failed pilot • Angelo's — Kris — 6 episodes • LifeSpam: My Child is French — Various — Failed pilot • 2009–2013 — Horrible Histories — Various characters — 65 episodes • 2010 — The Persuasionists — Keaton — 6 episodes • Comedy Lab — Old Man — 1 episode • 2011 — Dick and Dom's Funny Business — Various characters • Horrible Histories' Big Prom Party — Various characters — One-off special • 2012 — Dave Shakespeare — Dave Shakespeare — Failed pilot • 2012–2014 — The Midnight Beast — Sloman — 10 episodes • 2013 — Utopia — Marcus — 1 episode • Not Going Out — Scott • Richard III: The King in the Car Park — Presenter — Documentary • Richard III: The Unseen Story — Narrator • Crackanory — Robert Pickle — 1 episode • 2013–2016 — Yonderland — Various characters — 25 episodes • 2014 — Man Vs Weird — Himself — 3 episodes • On the Yorkshire Buses — Narrator — 8 episodes • Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy — George Orwell — 1 episode • 2014–2022 — Detectorists — Phil — 12 episodes • 2015 — House of Fools — Health Inspector — 1 episode • Horrible Histories — Various characters — 12 episodes • Top Coppers — Dr Schäfer — 2 episodes • 2017 — Quacks — Dr Flowers — 1 episode • 2019–2021 — This Time with Alan Partridge — Sam Chatwin — 3 episodes • 2019–2023 — Ghosts — Julian Fawcett MP — Also co-creator • 2021–present — Britbox advert — Narrator — 2 adverts • 2022 — Platinum Party at the Palace — Footman — Paddington Bear sketch. Also writer • Tesco Christmas advert — Narrator — 1 advert • 2024 — Here We Go — Boyd — 2 episodes

Having previously appeared in The Mighty Boosh, Farnaby was in a starring role for the related film Bunny and the Bull in 2009, where he played the eponymous Bunny. In 2016, Farnaby co-wrote and had a small acting part in Mindhorn with Julian Barratt, a comedy about Richard Thorncroft (Barratt), a faded television actor drawn into negotiations with a criminal who believes his character Detective Mindhorn is real. He co-wrote the book The Phantom of the Open about golfer Maurice Flitcroft in 2011, and then started work on a film script of the story in 2017, which led to the release of The Phantom of the Open in 2021, starring Mark Rylance. Also in 2016, Farnaby had a small on-screen role in Rogue One, as an X-Wing pilot. The biggest film success of Farnaby's career came with the Paddington film franchise. Following on from appearing as an actor in the first film, he went on to co-write Paddington 2 with Paul King, for which he was nominated for two film BAFTAs for best adapted screenplay and Outstanding British Film. He was also the winner of the International Online Cinema Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the Hollywood Critics Association award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2018. Farnaby subsequently appeared alongside Paddington Bear and Queen Elizabeth II in a short film broadcast as a part of the Platinum Party at the Palace for the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022, which won the 2023 BAFTA for memorable TV moment, which Farnaby accepted. Farnaby is the co-writer of 2023 Christmas release Wonka, along with Paul King, which is a prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Alongside Ghosts co-star Charlotte Ritchie, Farnaby also has a small on-screen role, with his Them There collaborator Mathew Baynton in one of the leading roles, and starring Timothée Chalamet. Farnaby wrote the screenplay for The Magic Faraway Tree. An adaptation of Enid Blyton's book series of the same name. The film released theatrically in the UK on 27 March 2026.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2004 — Fat Slags — Ventriloquist |A ventriloquist • Blake's Junction 7 — Terry — Short film • 2009 — Bunny and the Bull — Bunny |Bunny • 2010 — Burke & Hare — William Wordsworth | • 2011 — Your Highness — Manious the Bold |Manious the Bold • 2013 — All Stars — Foreman | • 2014 — Paddington — Barry |Barry • 2015 — Bill — Various |Juan Domingo • 2016 — Mindhorn — Clive Parnevik — Also writer • Rogue One — X-wing pilot Farns Monsbee |Member of Blue Squadron • 2017 — Paddington 2 — Barry — Also writer • 2018 — Christopher Robin — Taxi Driver • 2021 — The Phantom of the Open — Laurent Lambert — Also writer • 2023 — Wonka — Basil |Zoo security guard • 2024 — Paddington in Peru — Barry |Barry • 2026 — The Magic Faraway Tree — Local Farmer (Cameo) |Farmer