Morwenna Banks
Encyclopedia
Morwenna Banks is a British
comedy actress, writer and producer.
Banks is perhaps best known in the UK as a cast member of the British Channel 4
comedy series Absolutely
, where her best-known character was a schoolgirl who sat on the edge of a desk.
She appeared as the Keeper of the Rules (who resides in Limbo
) in the episode 'Jenny's Non Dream' of the TV series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
, and played the character of Tess in the BBC
comedy series Catterick
in 2004 alongside Vic Reeves
and Bob Mortimer
.
Banks made her United States television debut on 8 April 1995, when she became a cast member on Saturday Night Live
. Banks is the third castmember on SNL to be born outside of North America. Banks left the show after four episodes, making her one of the shortest-lived cast members on the show.
She voiced the part of Clare Feeble in Stressed Eric
, Mummy Pig and Dr Hamster the Vet in Peppa Pig
, and the ship's computer in the BBC
TV series Hyperdrive
. She also provided the voices of the witches in Meg and Mog, an animated children's series for CITV
(2003), is Ping Pong in Rupert Bear (Channel 5), Guinevere in 'King Arthurs Disasters (CITV), and is an additional voice in the PlayStation 2
video game Dragon Quest VIII
. She also voices Betty and Sonia in the 2008 film version of Tales of the Riverbank
. She has voiced a few characters on the 2003-05 dark cartoon Monkey Dust
as well. She wrote, produced and appeared in the British ensemble film The Announcement in 2001. She appears as Anthea Stonem in the E4 Teen drama Skins
. In 2007 she appeared in the TV series' Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul
. She has also appeared in the Steve Coogan
BBC comedy Saxondale
, where she played receptionist Vicky.
In 2009, Banks used her skills as an impressionist to make a series of web videos for BBC Comedy called Celebrities STFU. Each video featured Banks in costume and make up impersonating celebrities such as Lady Gaga
, Noel Gallagher
, Susan Boyle
, Pixie Lott
, Jools Holland
and Duffy
.
Banks will appear alongside Tony Hawks
and Angus Deayton
in the feature film Playing the Moldovans at Tennis
which was shot in 2010 for an anticipated release in 2011.
Banks lives with comedian David Baddiel
. They have two children, both born in Westminster
, London: Dolly Loveday (born 2001) and Ezra Beckett (born 2004).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy actress, writer and producer.
Banks is perhaps best known in the UK as a cast member of the British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
comedy series Absolutely
Absolutely (TV series)
Absolutely is a popular United Kingdom television comedy sketch show shown on Channel 4 between 1989 and 1993.The cast and crew were mainly Scottish; the principal writers and performers were Moray Hunter, Jack Docherty, Peter Baikie, Gordon Kennedy , Morwenna Banks and John Sparkes...
, where her best-known character was a schoolgirl who sat on the edge of a desk.
She appeared as the Keeper of the Rules (who resides in Limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
) in the episode 'Jenny's Non Dream' of the TV series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series)
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem...
, and played the character of Tess in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy series Catterick
Catterick (TV series)
Catterick, aka Vic and Bob in Catterick, is a surreal 2004 BBC situation comedy in 6 episodes, written by and starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, with Reece Shearsmith, Matt Lucas, Morwenna Banks, Tim Healy, Mark Benton and Charlie Higson. The series was originally broadcast on BBC Three and...
in 2004 alongside Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
and Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer
Robert "Bob" Renwick Mortimer is an English comedian and actor, who is best known for his double act with Vic Reeves...
.
Banks made her United States television debut on 8 April 1995, when she became a cast member on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. Banks is the third castmember on SNL to be born outside of North America. Banks left the show after four episodes, making her one of the shortest-lived cast members on the show.
She voiced the part of Clare Feeble in Stressed Eric
Stressed Eric
Stressed Eric is a British/American/New Zealand cartoon series that was produced by Absolutely Productions for the BBC Two television channel in the United Kingdom and the Television New Zealand. The series revolves around Eric Feeble, a middle class man who is always stressed, because of his...
, Mummy Pig and Dr Hamster the Vet in Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig
Peppa Pig is a British animated television series created directed and produced by Astley Baker Davies and distributed by eOne Entertainment. To date, three series have been aired. It is shown in 180 territories.-Background:...
, and the ship's computer in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV series Hyperdrive
Hyperdrive (TV series)
Hyperdrive is a British television science fiction sitcom series produced by the BBC created under the working title of "Full Power." BBC2 broadcast two series in 2006 and 2007, A third series is yet to be commissioned and the actor Kevin Eldon has indicated that is unlikely to be...
. She also provided the voices of the witches in Meg and Mog, an animated children's series for CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
(2003), is Ping Pong in Rupert Bear (Channel 5), Guinevere in 'King Arthurs Disasters (CITV), and is an additional voice in the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
video game Dragon Quest VIII
Dragon Quest VIII
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, known in Japan as and in PAL regions as Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King, is a role-playing video game developed by Level-5 and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2...
. She also voices Betty and Sonia in the 2008 film version of Tales of the Riverbank
Tales of the Riverbank
Tales of the Riverbank, sometimes called Hammy Hamster, is a Canadian children's television show starring Hammy Hamster and other animals....
. She has voiced a few characters on the 2003-05 dark cartoon Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust is a British satirical cartoon, notorious for its dark humour and handling of taboo topics such as murder, suicide and paedophilia. There were three series broadcast on BBC Three between 2003 and 2005...
as well. She wrote, produced and appeared in the British ensemble film The Announcement in 2001. She appears as Anthea Stonem in the E4 Teen drama Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
. In 2007 she appeared in the TV series' Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul
Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul
Harry & Paul is a BAFTA Award-winning British sketch comedy show starring Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 13 April 2007...
. She has also appeared in the Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
BBC comedy Saxondale
Saxondale
Saxondale is a British television situation comedy programme, starring Steve Coogan and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey and produced by Ted Dowd. Coogan and Henry Normal served as executive producers...
, where she played receptionist Vicky.
In 2009, Banks used her skills as an impressionist to make a series of web videos for BBC Comedy called Celebrities STFU. Each video featured Banks in costume and make up impersonating celebrities such as Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
, Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
, Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
, Pixie Lott
Pixie Lott
Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It...
, Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
and Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
.
Banks will appear alongside Tony Hawks
Tony Hawks
Antony Gordon Hawksworth, better known as Tony Hawks, is a British comedian and author.-Early life:Born in Brighton in 1960, Hawks was educated at Brighton Hove and Sussex Grammar School and Brighton College...
and Angus Deayton
Angus Deayton
Gordon Angus Deayton is an English actor, writer, musician, comedian and broadcaster. He is best known for his role as Victor Meldrew's long-suffering neighbour Patrick Trench in the comedy series One Foot in the Grave...
in the feature film Playing the Moldovans at Tennis
Playing the Moldovans at Tennis
The film version of Tony Hawks' best selling book Playing the Moldovans at Tennis was filmed during May, June and July 2010 in Moldova, London, Belfast and Israel...
which was shot in 2010 for an anticipated release in 2011.
Banks lives with comedian David Baddiel
David Baddiel
David Lionel Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter.-Early life:Baddiel was born in New York, and moved to England when he was four months old. His father, Colin Brian Baddiel, was a Welsh research chemist with Unilever before being made redundant in the 1980s, after...
. They have two children, both born in Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, London: Dolly Loveday (born 2001) and Ezra Beckett (born 2004).