---
name: "Morwenna Banks"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/morwenna-banks"
fi1m_id: "morwenna-banks"
imdb_id: "nm0052218"
tmdb_id: 59070
wikidata_id: "Q6915202"
roles: ["Writer","Actor"]
born: "20 September 1961"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-07T14:53:26.297502+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Morwenna Banks

## Identity

Morwenna Banks

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/morwenna-banks
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** morwenna-banks
- **IMDb ID:** nm0052218
- **TMDB ID:** 59070
- **Wikidata ID:** Q6915202
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morwenna_Banks, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6915202, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0052218/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59070

Writer and actor. Born 20 September 1961 in Flushing, Cornwall, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Actor
- **Born:** 20 September 1961, Flushing, Cornwall, England, UK
- **Active:** 1988–present
- **Also known as:** Tamsin Morwenna Banks, Morwena Banks, Tamsin Banks
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 3 acting, 3 writing
- **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as writer, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 88 (1), 2000s 84 (2), 2020s 77 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 75 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Crime 2, Mystery 2, War & Politics 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morwenna_Banks, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6915202, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0052218/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59070

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*The Thick of It*](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md) (94), [*Down Cemetery Road*](https://film.one/tv/down-cemetery-road.md) (82), [*Slow Horses*](https://film.one/tv/slow-horses.md) (82)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Morwenna Banks

> Morwenna Banks writes people who stay funny when things turn frightening, and that is why *Down Cemetery Road* works even when its plot does not. Thirty years on from sketch comedy, she has become one of British television's most dependable adapters of other people's novels.

The best stretches of *Down Cemetery Road* (2025) are two women getting on each other's nerves while a conspiracy tightens around them. Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson bicker, and the bickering is the investigation: exasperation is how these people find things out. That is Banks's doing. She shares the writing credit with Emily Marcuson, Rose Heiney, Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil, but as lead writer and adapter she set the tone, and the tone is what carries the series past its slower patches.

She began as a performer. Cambridge Footlights, then the sketch troupe behind *Absolutely* (1989–1993), then vehicles of her own, including *The Morwenna Banks Show* (1998), which was patchy in the way shows built around one performer tend to be, though the characters were strong. From the mid-2000s the writing took over. *Miss You Already* (2015), a film about friendship and illness, she adapted from her own radio play. *Damned* (2016–2018), created with Jo Brand, found comedy in a social work department without pretending the work was funny. *Funny Woman* (2023) adapted Nick Hornby. And *Slow Horses* (2022), for which she wrote episodes, put her in Mick Herron's world before she was handed a whole book of his.

The pattern is consistent. Banks takes a subject that could be grim, social work, illness, the intelligence services at their shabbiest, and lets the people in it be funny without letting them off. In *Down Cemetery Road* the jokes do not drain the danger; they are how the characters cope with it, and there is enough moral uncertainty that we never know quite how much to trust anyone. We laughed at Thompson and Wilson needling each other and then noticed we were worried about them, which is harder to manage than it looks. The conspiracy matters because it troubles people whose company we have come to enjoy, and the writing mostly remembers that.

Plot is where she is weaker, or at least where the material is. *Down Cemetery Road* dawdles between its best scenes, and on *Slow Horses* the thriller each run hangs on is ordinary; the office is the show. Some of that is Herron and some is the form, but Banks is plainly more interested in the talking than in the machinery. On the evidence, so are we.

If there is another Herron novel to be adapted, she is the writer we would want on it. Bring patience for the middle episodes. The people are worth the wait.

## Biography

Morwenna Banks is a British actress, comedian, writer and producer. Born on 20 September 1961 in Flushing, Cornwall, she attended Truro High School for Girls and Robinson College, Cambridge, where she was a member of the Footlights.

She appeared in the Channel 4 sketch show *Absolutely* (1989–1993) and has acted in series including *Saxondale* (2006–2007), *Skins* (2007–2010) and *Damned* (2016–2018). Her voice work includes Mummy Pig, Madame Gazelle and Dr Hamster in *Peppa Pig* (2004–). Banks wrote the screenplay for the film *Miss You Already* (2015) and has written episodes of *Slow Horses* (2022–) and *Down Cemetery Road* (2025), on which she is also showrunner and executive producer. She has been married to comedian David Baddiel since 2017.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (3)

- *Saxondale* (2006), Fi1m 75, as Vicky — [page](https://film.one/tv/saxondale.md)
- *The Thick of It* (2005), Fi1m 94, as Mary — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md)
- *Red Dwarf* (1988), Fi1m 88, as Lift Hostess — [page](https://film.one/tv/red-dwarf.md)

### Wrote (3) — the average rests on these

- *Down Cemetery Road* (2025), Fi1m 82, Writer, Adaptation, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/down-cemetery-road.md)
- *Masters of the Air* (2024), Fi1m 66, Story — [page](https://film.one/tv/masters-of-the-air.md)
- *Slow Horses* (2022), Fi1m 82, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/slow-horses.md)

## Complete filmography (85)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Down Cemetery Road* (2025), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Adaptation — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/down-cemetery-road.md)
- *Peppa Meets the Baby Cinema Experience* (2025), as Mommy Pig (voice)
- *Peppa Pig: Wedding Party!* (2024), as Mommy Pig / Madame Gazelle / Doctor Hamster / Rocking Gazelles (voice)
- *Peppa's Cinema Party* (2024), as Mommy Pig / Madame Gazelle / Doctor Hamster / Mrs Carrot (voice)
- *Masters of the Air* (2024), series, Story — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/masters-of-the-air.md)
- *Funny Woman* (2023), series, as Patsy Debenham · Writer, Executive Producer, Adaptation, Creator
- *Mummies* (2023), as Usi (voice) / Female Fan (voice)
- *Why Didn't They Ask Evans?* (2022), series, as Amelia Cayman
- *Slow Horses* (2022), series, Writer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/slow-horses.md)
- *Peppa Pig: Peppa's Christmas Visit* (2020), as Mummy Pig (voice)
- *The Adventures of Paddington* (2019), series, as Mrs. Mary Brown (voice)
- *Frayed* (2019), series, Executive Producer
- *Sadie Sparks* (2019), series, as Eugenia Covert, Principal Winifred Eugenia Covert
- *Peppa Pig: Festival of Fun* (2019), as Mummy Pig (voice)
- *Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year* (2019), as Mummy Pig
- *Loaded* (2017), series, as Linda
- *Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience* (2017), as Mummy Pig (voice) / The Queen (voice)
- *Damned* (2016), series, as Ingrid · Creator
- *Danger Mouse* (2015), series, as Dawn Crumhorn / The Queen (voice)
- *Miss You Already* (2015), Writer, Executive Producer
- *Wussywat the Clumsy Cat* (2015), series, as Wussywat (voice)
- *Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots* (2015), as Mommy Pig / Madame Gazelle (voice)
- *The Eichmann Show* (2015), as Female Translator (voice)
- *Peppa Pig: A Christmas Compilation* (2013), as Vocals
- *Svengali* (2013), as Francine Hardy
- *Up the Women* (2013), series, Writer
- *Peppa Pig: The Holiday* (2013), as Mummy Pig / Madam Gazelle / The Queen / Mrs. Cat / Dr. Hamster the Vet / Mademoiselle Potato (voice)
- *Playing the Moldovans at Tennis* (2012), as Jane
- *Playhouse Presents* (2012), series, Writer
- *Demons Never Die* (2011), as Katie
- *Barbie: Princess Charm School* (2011), as Miss Privet (voice)
- *Wide Open Spaces* (2009), as Leonie
- *Barbie in 'A Christmas Carol'* (2008), as Eden Starling (voice)
- *The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends* (2008), series, Actor
- *Tales of the Riverbank* (2008), as Betty / Sonia (voice)
- *Roman's Empire* (2007), series, Actor
- *Snow White: The Sequel* (2007), as The Good Fairy (voice)
- *Skins* (2007), series, as Anthea Stonem, Anthea — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/skins.md)
- *Saxondale* (2006), series, as Vicky — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/tv/saxondale.md)
- *Alien Autopsy* (2006), as Jasmine
- *Hyperdrive* (2006), series, as Announcer (voice), Announcer
- *Chopratown* (2005), as Victoria
- *Alan Partridge Presents: The Cream of British Comedy* (2005), as Mrs. Thomas
- *Harry & Paul* (2005), series, Actor
- *Popetown* (2005), series, as Sister Marie (voice)
- *The Thick of It* (2005), series, as Mary — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-thick-of-it.md)
- *King Arthur's Disasters* (2005), series, Actor
- *Twisted Tales* (2005), series, as Inspector Pierson
- *Traffic Warden* (2004), as Mother
- *Peppa Pig* (2004), series, as Mummy Pig / Madame Gazelle (voice), Madame Gazelle (voice), Mummy Pig (voice), Mummy Pig / Mademoiselle Potato (voice)
- *Catterick* (2004), series, as Tess
- *Shameless* (2004), series, as Carmen Kenaway — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/tv/shameless.md)
- *Single* (2003), series, as Julie
- *Keen Eddie* (2003), series, Actor
- *Monkey Dust* (2003), series, as (voice)
- *Little Robots* (2003), series, as Rusty (voice)
- *Anna Spud* (2003), as Anna Spud
- *Run Ronnie Run* (2002), as British Couple
- *Large* (2001), as Lorraine Mouseley
- *Baddiel's Syndrome* (2001), series, as Eva Starzia Schnorbitz Melitzskova
- *The Announcement* (2000), as Beth
- *The Strangerers* (2000), series, as Super Supervisor
- *Jolly Roger* (1999), as Estelle
- *The Man* (1999), as Pam
- *Bang, Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer* (1999), series, Actor
- *Jack and the Beanstalk: The ITV Pantomime* (1998), as Goldilocks
- *Rex the Runt* (1998), series, as PVC Presenter (voice), Mrs Bloomers (voice)
- *Stressed Eric* (1998), series, Actor
- *The Morwenna Banks Show* (1998), series, Actor
- *Statical Planets* (1997), Actor
- *The Preventers* (1996), as Penelope Gold · Writer
- *Sabrina, the Teenage Witch* (1996), series, as Rules Bearer
- *Crapston Villas* (1995), series, Actor
- *The TV Wheel* (1995), as Various · Writer
- *Weird Science* (1994), series, Actor
- *The Critic* (1994), series, as Olivia Hawke (voice)
- *Rita Rudner* (1990), series, Actor
- *Dream On* (1990), series, as Lucinda 'Lu' Fiske
- *Absolutely* (1989), series, Various Characters, Writer
- *A Bit of Fry & Laurie* (1989), series, Actor
- *Alexei Sayle's Stuff* (1988), series, Actor
- *Red Dwarf* (1988), series, as Lift Hostess — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/red-dwarf.md)
- *Little Dorrit* (1987), as Georgina
- *Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger* (1986), Actor
- *The Dangerous Brothers* (1986), series, Actor

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Tinniswood Award 2015: Tinniswood Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/morwenna-banks