Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe: 'Wonky Donkey is one of the best TV segments of all time'

Kiell Smith-Bynoe is a comedian and actor, best known for his role as Mike Cooper in Ghosts, playing Dean in Stath Lets Flats, appearances on Taskmaster and presenting The Great British Sewing Bee. He also has a deep love for improvised comedy.

Before he embarks on a new UK tour with improvised stand-up show Kiell Smith-Bynoe: Kool Story Bro, he spoke to Big Issue and answered our Big Questions… 

What film made the biggest  impact on you growing up? 

The first time I ever cried laughing – which I always thought was an expression until I actually did it – was watching Good Burger around 1999. One moment made me laugh so uncontrollably that tears formed in my eyes and I realised crying laughing wasn’t just a turn of phrase. I also thought, I want to make people laugh this much.

What were the shows on TV that made everyone laugh the most in your household?

I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house. At my nan and grandad’s it was all about what they liked to watch – Steptoe And Son, Porridge or The Thin Blue Line. At my mum’s, the remote control was in my power. So I watched a lot of The Simpsons, Daria and things like SMTV: Live – Wonky Donkey is still one of the best TV segments of all time.

What was the biggest song for you as a young person? 

When Wyclef Jean and The Rock came out with “It Doesn’t Matter” – I had it on cassette, recorded it off the radio. I’d get home from school and play it every single day. 

What do you see as the defining event of your youth?  

I went to an all-boys school in Forest Gate called St Bonaventure’s, where Tim Campbell, who won The Apprentice, Jermain Defoe and Tinchy Stryder all went. A whole host of musicians or actors or entrepreneurs went there. I’m only listing the positives here! The energy in the playground every day was something new. We’d have four sports going on at the same time on the same court – basketball, football, a group would be MCing and beatboxing, street dancers. It was a melting pot of creativeness. And that was encouraged.

It wasn’t just about getting the GCSEs and A levels, it was about helping people grow in whatever they were choosing to do. So I feel my school was a huge part of who I’ve become. I sometimes wonder what I’d be like if I went to the school that’s a five-minute walk away rather than the one with a 30-minute bus ride.

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What was the big political issue you remember from your youth? 

I went to East 15 drama school in Loughton, which, at that time was a very heavy BNP area. So there was some jeopardy around going there from East Ham. You’d hear stories of attacks – and it wasn’t just people of colour, but also people in same-sex relationships.  

What’s the biggest thing you’d like to be able to tell your younger self?  

My mum was very strict with me and I never understood why. She’d had three brothers that she’d looked after who were always rebelling and having run-ins with the law. So my mum decided she wasn’t going to let any distractions happen to me and I feel the strictness created a barrier emotionally between me and my mum for a while. At the time, I couldn’t understand why she was so strict. I’m grateful for it now and we have a great relationship, but it took a while to get there. 

Was there a book that had a big influence on you?  

Bart Simpson’s Guide to Life! There was a page that you could only read in the mirror. I remember thinking, this is so clever. I wish I could come up with something like this! Also, I thought of myself as a wannabe Bart Simpson, because I wanted to be getting up to mischief but wasn’t allowed because my mum was so strict.

What was the big influence in performing becoming your life? 

I remember going to pantos at Theatre Royal Stratford East and the one constant was Michael Bertenshaw as the Dame. I remember him being so much fun. Years later, I got to work with him on The Merchant of Venice. That felt like a real moment in my career. I went from watching someone on stage from the audience to being in the scene with them. He was such a charismatic, funny and physical presence – I wanted to be able to have the audience in a palm of my hand like that.

What was the moment where it felt you’d hit the big time? 

The first time I went to the Baftas. Seeing all these people you’ve watched on TV, and then Lennie James came over and said how much he loved Ghosts. That felt very surreal. It was only four years ago. I also did Just A Minute recently with Sue Perkins, Julian Clary, Josie Lawrence and Jenny Éclair. I’ve been a huge fan of improv and performing improv for years. So to be doing an improvised show with some of the greatest improvisers – and being told these people I’ve looked up to liked me on Taskmaster or The Great British Sewing Bee or Ghosts, felt great.

What do you see as being your biggest success? And failure…? 

I had a day a while back where I looked back at some of the jobs I didn’t get. And then I looked at what I was doing at the time they were filming. And there was no job I was sad I missed out on or where I was just sat at home doing nothing while it was filming.

What’s your big idea to save the world? 

I spend quite a lot of time in Barbados because I’m trying to help my mum move back there. And people say hello to each other. It makes so much difference. Last time, I was there for a month but then you come back to London and attempt to carry it on and it gets shut down in the first 10 minutes. But a little bit of that could really help. Just a comment, I like your jacket, could make someone’s day. We need to turn up a notch on the nice-o-meter. 

And what’s your big ambition? 

I went to Theatre Royal Stratford East as part of the youth theatre from the age of 11 to 18. But I never performed on that stage until two years ago. Going back there and selling it out was a dream come true. But that was a one-off show. What I really want in the future is to do an untitled Kiell Smith-Bynoe project there and people to be excited about that without even knowing what it is, like if there was an untitled Christopher Nolan project. I’d love to do something in my own community and showcase Newham in a positive way. That’s my big dream. 

Improvised stand-up show Kiell Smith-Bynoe & Friends: Kool Story Bro is touring the UK from 10 April. Find tour information, dates and tickets here. 

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