Simon Bird (I)

The Inbetweeners: our university experience

The riotous Inbetweeners - Joe Thomas, Simon Bird, Blake Harrison and James Buckley - talk about their uni experiences and what they would have done differently - no holds barred.

The Inbetweeners 2 - review

Surprisingly decent sequel to the comedy spin-off starring Simon Bird and Joe Thomas.

Simon Bird named most troublesome on set says cast

Simon Bird, who plays nerdy Will McKenzie in the hit TV series The Inbetweeners, is actually the most troublesome actor on set, his fellow cast members have revealed.

Inbetweeners 2 is the end of the road says Simon Bird

Love the Inbetweeners? Then the upcoming movie will be your last chance to see the gang in action.

The Liam Hourican three minute interview

Liam Hourican is a TV personality, impressionist and semi-funny man. He was last seen in a starring role in Channel 4's Very Important People, playing Gordon Ramsay, Simon Cowell, Simon Bird and many others. Now he's appearing in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with A Kitchen Nightmare.

The Inbetweeners 2 interview

Joe Thomas, Simon Bird, Blake Harrison and James Buckley sit down to discuss the comedy sequel.

The third series of Robert Popper's sitcom following a dysfunctional north London brood begins with a surprise for Jackie and Martin (Tamsin Greig and Paul Ritter), as elder son Adam (Simon Bird) brings a girl to dinner. Unfazed by Martin washing dog poo off his foot in the toilet, plucky Emma fits right in. Things soon turn sour, however, when Adam's texts are intercepted by eight-year-old neighbour Katie, who makes child's play of blackmail. As usual, FND expertly treads the line between relatable and reliably potty.

After something of a hiatus (the last series screened in 2012) we're back at the North London home of the bickering Goodman family for more middle-class Jewish mayhem. Writer and producer Robert Popper's sitcom may have a modest canvas - it rarely strays beyond its four suburban walls and plot development is minimal - but the show packs plenty of colourful farce into its frantic half-hour slot.

The opener of tonight's third run is no exception, hinging on a premise rife with comic opportunity. Eldest son Adam (Simon Bird) is bringing his new girlfriend Emma (Sophia Di Martino) round for dinner. As expected Mum (Tamsin Greig) has an eye on marriage potential, brother Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) sets out to embarrass and Dad (Paul Ritter) makes no attempt to curb his eccentricities.

Whilst the family dynamics are sharply observed and pleasingly quirky, this is soft-centred, amiable stuff bolstered by some top-notch performances. Ritter, as ever, is superb as shamelessly shirtless Martin, imbuing the character's oddities with pathos. A witty Di Martino also stands out, sweetly unfazed by the chaotic clan she's been invited into.

One-liners are thin on the ground but Popper's real skill is in his structuring, pulling together the episode's separate comic strands into a satisfying, climactic whole. There's no breaking new ground here and a fourth series might stretch things too far, but for now the Goodmans are still worth spending part of your evening with.

Ponderings from the Friday Night Dinner cast

Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal give an insight into life in their own homes - from mischief to solitary playtime.

Simon Bird interview

TV Choice spoke to Simon Bird, who plays Adam, about the new series...