Laughed Off The Page

Janice Forsyth meets Peter Baynham, who is at the forefront of current comedy writing and who now produces the funny lines for some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Peter Baynham's comedy career path is very different to that of most writers. He spent several years in the Merchant Navy before dipping his toe in the comedy waters.

Stand-up was followed by writing material for radio comedy including Week Ending.

Never shy of pushing the boundaries of taste, in television collaborations with Chris Morris led to him writing for Brass Eye and with Armando Iannucci and Steve Coogan he wrote the acclaimed sitcom I'm Alan Partridge.

Now in demand in the film world he worked with Sacha Baron Cohen on Borat and again on Bruno and has recently written the screenplay for the re-make of the film Arthur staring Russell Brand and Helen Mirran.

From a studio in Los Angeles Peter tells Janice Forsyth about his extraordinary career and how he still remembers the thrill of hearing his first sketch played on the radio.