Introduction
Simon Bird is a British actor, comedian, writer, producer and director. He is best known for playing Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners and Adam Goodman in Friday Night Dinner.
These two comedy roles made him a familiar face on British television, but his career has grown far beyond acting. Bird has moved into writing, producing and directing, with projects including Days of the Bagnold Summer and the award-winning BBC comedy Such Brave Girls.
As of August 2026, Simon Bird remains active in entertainment. One of his biggest confirmed upcoming acting projects is Star Wars: Starfighter, a new Lucasfilm movie directed by Shawn Levy and scheduled for release on 28 May 2027.
Simon Bird Quick Bio
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Simon Antony Bird |
| Date of birth | 19 August 1984 |
| Age | 41 as of 9 August 2026 |
| Birthplace | Guildford, Surrey, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Actor, comedian, director, writer and producer |
| Famous role | Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners |
| Other major role | Adam Goodman in Friday Night Dinner |
| Education | Queens’ College, Cambridge; Birkbeck, University of London |
| Wife | Lisa Owens |
| Major directing work | Days of the Bagnold Summer, Such Brave Girls |
| Upcoming film | Star Wars: Starfighter |
Companies House records confirm his full name as Simon Antony Bird, his British nationality and his August 1984 birth month. Amazon’s Prime Video profile gives his full birth date as 19 August 1984.
Who Is Simon Bird?
Simon Bird is an English comedy actor who became nationally known through The Inbetweeners.
He played Will McKenzie, an intelligent but socially awkward teenager who joins a new school and struggles to fit in with his new group of friends.
The character’s formal way of speaking, embarrassing situations and constant frustration with his friends became an important part of the programme’s comedy.
Bird later built another long-running television role as Adam Goodman in Friday Night Dinner.
However, his career did not stop with sitcom acting. He gradually became more involved in directing and production, which now forms an important part of his professional work.
Readers interested in other leading British comedy performers can also explore Stephen Mangan’s acting, television and theatre career.
How Old Is Simon Bird?
Simon Bird was born on 19 August 1984 in Guildford, Surrey, England.
He is 41 years old as of 9 August 2026 and will turn 42 on 19 August 2026.
Simon Bird’s Early Life and Education
Bird grew up in Guildford in Surrey.
He studied English at Queens’ College, Cambridge. His university years became especially important because he became involved with Cambridge Footlights, the famous student comedy group.
Bird eventually served as president of Footlights.
It was also at Cambridge that he met Joe Thomas, who later played Simon Cooper in The Inbetweeners. Their friendship and comedy work therefore began before the television programme that made both actors famous.
After Cambridge, Bird continued his education at Birkbeck, University of London.
Birkbeck’s official alumni information confirms that he completed an MA in Cultural and Critical Studies in 2007.
His academic background may seem unusual for someone who became famous through comedy, but Bird was already developing his performance and writing skills during this period.
How Did Simon Bird Become Famous?
Simon Bird’s major breakthrough arrived in 2008 with The Inbetweeners.
The E4 comedy followed four teenage boys trying to manage school, friendships, relationships and the many embarrassing situations that came with growing up.
Bird played Will McKenzie alongside:
- Joe Thomas as Simon Cooper
- James Buckley as Jay Cartwright
- Blake Harrison as Neil Sutherland
Will was often the most academically serious member of the group, but that did not stop him from becoming involved in the same disasters as his friends.
The programme became a major British comedy success and transformed its four leading actors into widely recognised television personalities.
Bird won the British Comedy Award for Best Male Comedy Newcomer in 2008 and later won Best Television Comedy Actor in 2009. He also received a BAFTA Television nomination connected with his performance.
Simon Bird in The Inbetweeners Movies
The success of the television series led to two cinema films.
The Inbetweeners Movie
Released in 2011, the first film followed Will, Simon, Jay and Neil on a holiday after leaving school.
Bird returned as Will McKenzie alongside the original main cast.
The Inbetweeners 2
The group reunited for The Inbetweeners 2 in 2014.
The second movie again placed the four friends in a series of uncomfortable and ridiculous situations, this time during an overseas adventure.
Will McKenzie remains the character most strongly connected with Simon Bird’s public career.
Is The Inbetweeners Coming Back?
There has been an important development.
In October 2025, creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley’s company Fudge Park Productions announced an agreement with Banijay UK that paves the way for the return of The Inbetweeners.
However, there is an important difference between a possible return of the brand and a confirmed new Simon Bird project.
As of August 2026, the announcement should not be treated as confirmation that Bird has officially signed to play Will McKenzie in a particular new film or television series.
Readers should therefore be careful with headlines claiming a full original-cast reunion until an official production and cast announcement is made.
Friday Night Dinner and Adam Goodman
Another major part of Simon Bird’s career began in 2011 when he joined Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner.
Bird played Adam Goodman, while Tom Rosenthal played his younger brother Jonny.
The programme followed the Goodman family during their regular Friday-night meals, which rarely went according to plan.
The main cast included:
- Simon Bird as Adam Goodman
- Tom Rosenthal as Jonny Goodman
- Tamsin Greig as Jackie Goodman
- Paul Ritter as Martin Goodman
- Mark Heap as neighbour Jim
The series ran for six series and became one of Bird’s best-known television projects.
Adam Goodman showed a slightly different side of Bird’s comedy while still making use of the uncomfortable situations and frustrated reactions that audiences associated with his earlier work.
Fans of classic British sitcom performers may also enjoy reading about Nicholas Lyndhurst’s television career and famous comedy roles.
Simon Bird and Chickens
Bird continued working with Joe Thomas after The Inbetweeners.
Together with comedian and writer Jonny Sweet, they created and appeared in Chickens.
The comedy was set during the First World War and focused on men who remained in an English village while many others had gone to fight.
The project was important because it showed Bird developing television material rather than working only as an actor.
His partnership with Jonny Sweet would later continue in television production.
Simon Bird as a Director
Directing has become one of the most important changes in Simon Bird’s career.
Rather than spending his entire professional life in front of the camera, he began taking greater creative control behind it.
His feature-film directing debut was Days of the Bagnold Summer.
The film was adapted from Joff Winterhart’s graphic novel and starred Monica Dolan and Earl Cave.
Lisa Owens wrote the screenplay.
The project was important because it established Bird as a feature-film director rather than simply an actor trying occasional work behind the camera.
Such Brave Girls
Bird later became closely connected with the BBC comedy Such Brave Girls.
Created and written by Kat Sadler, the dark comedy follows a dysfunctional mother and her two daughters.
Simon Bird directed episodes of the series and continued as a director on its second series.
The programme received major industry recognition.
At the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards, Such Brave Girls won the award for Scripted Comedy. BAFTA’s official record names Simon Bird among the credited winning team alongside Kat Sadler, Catherine Gosling Fuller, Jack Bayles and Phil Clarke.
This achievement is significant because it shows that Bird has built recognition behind the camera as well as through his famous acting roles.
Everyone Else Burns
Bird returned to a major television comedy role in Everyone Else Burns.
He played David Lewis, the father of a family belonging to a strict fictional religious group.
Channel 4 introduced the programme in 2023 and later produced a second series.
Bird described David as the family’s rather foolish patriarch when discussing the character in an official Channel 4 interview.
The role gave Bird another leading sitcom character many years after The Inbetweeners and Friday Night Dinner first made him famous.
What Is Simon Bird Doing Now?
As of August 2026, Simon Bird continues to work across acting and directing.
The clearest example of his continued acting career is his confirmed involvement in Star Wars: Starfighter.
Lucasfilm officially announced Bird as part of the cast alongside:
- Ryan Gosling
- Amy Adams
- Matt Smith
- Mia Goth
- Aaron Pierre
- Flynn Gray
- Jamael Westman
- Daniel Ings
The film is directed by Shawn Levy and is scheduled for theatrical release on 28 May 2027.
Readers who want to check the confirmed cast can see the official Lucasfilm announcement for Star Wars: Starfighter.
Bird’s character has not been officially revealed, so it would be wrong to invent or guess his role.
Pretend I’m Not Here
Bird is also continuing his work as a film director.
He is directing Pretend I’m Not Here, a comedy-drama written by Lisa Owens.
Confirmed cast members include:
- Matthew Broderick
- Sally Hawkins
- Martin Freeman
Cornerstone Films identifies Bird as the director and Owens as the writer.
The project continues Bird’s working partnership with Owens after Days of the Bagnold Summer.
Simon Bird’s Wife
Simon Bird is married to Lisa Owens, a writer and screenwriter.
The couple married in 2012.
Their relationship also includes professional collaboration.
Owens wrote the screenplay for Days of the Bagnold Summer, which Bird directed, and she is also the writer of Pretend I’m Not Here.
Bird generally keeps his family life away from unnecessary publicity.
Public reporting confirms that the couple have children, but their family life is not a major part of Bird’s public career and does not need intrusive detail.
Does Simon Bird Have Children?
Yes.
Simon Bird and Lisa Owens have two children, according to publicly reported information.
Bird has spoken about family life in interviews but has generally avoided making his children part of his public image.
Simon Bird’s Production Company
Bird has also moved into television and film production.
UK Companies House records list Simon Antony Bird as an active director of People Person Pictures Limited.
He was appointed as a director on 7 September 2020 and is also recorded as a person with significant control over the company.
The business adds another important part to Bird’s career beyond acting and directing.
What Is Simon Bird’s Net Worth?
There is no authoritative public record confirming Simon Bird’s exact personal net worth.
Many celebrity websites publish estimated figures, but these numbers are usually not supported by contracts, financial disclosures or reliable documents.
For that reason, an exact Simon Bird net-worth figure should not be presented as confirmed fact.
What can be verified is that his career has included television acting, cinema films, writing, directing, production and company involvement.
Those professional achievements do not provide enough evidence to calculate his personal wealth accurately.
Why Is Simon Bird Famous?
Simon Bird is famous mainly for playing Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners.
The role introduced him to a large audience and remains strongly connected with his name.
His second defining television role is Adam Goodman in Friday Night Dinner.
However, Bird’s career now has another important side.
His work as a director, including the BAFTA-winning Such Brave Girls, shows that he has successfully developed a career behind the camera.
His confirmed casting in Star Wars: Starfighter also introduces him to one of the world’s largest film franchises.
Is Simon Bird Still Acting?
Yes.
Simon Bird is still professionally active as an actor.
His confirmed casting in Star Wars: Starfighter, scheduled for 2027, provides clear evidence that he has not retired from acting.
At the same time, he continues developing his career as a director and producer.
Simon Bird Movies and TV Shows
Some of the best-known projects connected with Simon Bird include:
- The Inbetweeners
- The Inbetweeners Movie
- The Inbetweeners 2
- Friday Night Dinner
- Chickens
- Everyone Else Burns
- Days of the Bagnold Summer — director
- Such Brave Girls — director
- Pretend I’m Not Here — director
- Star Wars: Starfighter — upcoming acting role
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Simon Bird?
Simon Bird is a British actor, comedian, writer, director and producer best known for playing Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners and Adam Goodman in Friday Night Dinner.
How old is Simon Bird?
Simon Bird is 41 years old as of 9 August 2026. He was born on 19 August 1984.
Where was Simon Bird born?
He was born in Guildford, Surrey, England.
What is Simon Bird most famous for?
He is most famous for playing Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners.
Who did Simon Bird play in Friday Night Dinner?
He played Adam Goodman, the older Goodman brother.
Is Simon Bird married?
Yes. He married writer Lisa Owens in 2012.
Does Simon Bird have children?
Yes. Public reporting confirms that Simon Bird and Lisa Owens have two children.
Is Simon Bird still acting?
Yes. He remains active as an actor and has been officially cast in Star Wars: Starfighter.
Is Simon Bird in Star Wars?
Yes. Lucasfilm officially confirmed Simon Bird as a cast member of Star Wars: Starfighter, which is scheduled for release on 28 May 2027.
Who does Simon Bird play in Star Wars: Starfighter?
His character has not been officially announced as of August 2026.
Is Simon Bird a director?
Yes. His directing work includes Days of the Bagnold Summer and Such Brave Girls.
Did Simon Bird direct Such Brave Girls?
Yes. Simon Bird has directed the BBC comedy Such Brave Girls. The programme won the BAFTA Television Award for Scripted Comedy, with Bird included among the credited winning team.
Is The Inbetweeners returning?
A 2025 agreement between Fudge Park Productions and Banijay UK opened the way for the comedy to return. However, a specific new project starring Simon Bird as Will McKenzie should not be treated as officially confirmed until a formal cast announcement is made.
What is Simon Bird’s net worth?
There is no reliable public financial source confirming his exact personal net worth. Online estimates should therefore not be treated as verified facts.
Final Thoughts
Simon Bird became famous by playing one of British television comedy’s most recognisable awkward teenagers, but his career did not remain tied to Will McKenzie.
After The Inbetweeners, he built another popular role as Adam Goodman in Friday Night Dinner and continued appearing in comedy projects such as Everyone Else Burns.
More importantly, Bird gradually expanded his work behind the camera.
He became a feature-film director, helped direct the BAFTA-winning Such Brave Girls, became involved in television production and is directing Pretend I’m Not Here.
His career is continuing to develop.
With a confirmed role in Star Wars: Starfighter, Simon Bird is moving from famous British sitcoms into a major international film franchise while continuing his work as a director.
