Michael Smiley

Michael Smiley, born in 1963 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a Northern Irish comedian and actor. He grew up in Holywood, Northern Ireland. He currently lives in London, to where he shifted with his wife in his 20's. Michael Smiley entered the world of comedy after accepting a bet at an open-mic night. Before his present profession, he had worked as a cycle courier and as an acid house DJ. He was a runner-up on the competition, So You Think You're Funny at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1993. He became well known for his performance in two episodes of the show Spaced, on Channel 4, where he played the character of Tyres O'Flaherty, which was based on his past as a cycle courier. His performances in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Melbourne Comedy Festival also aided in his wide critical acclaim as a stand-up comedian.

In 2008, he played the character of a former member of the British Army's Parachute Regiment, Jordan, in the horror film Outpost. He also appeared as a self-like zombie in the comedy horror film Shaun of the Dead. He has also guest starred in an episode of the Doctor Who audio drama, Creatures of Beauty, in 2003. In 2014, he played the role of Colonel Morgan Blue in the Doctor Who episode "Into the Dalek".

He has also appeared in all the three series of The Maltby Collection on Radio 4, as an eccentric security guard, Des Wainwright, who keeps repeating himself and reminding people that he was in the SAS. In the film Burke and Hare, he played a significant role alongside his Spaced co-stars Simon Pegg Simon Pegg is an English actor, producer, screenwr >> Read More... , who he is also close friends with, and Jessica Hynes. He has appeared on many BBC shows including Ripper Street, as George Lusk, BBC Two Mitchell and Webb comedy, Ambassadors, like Mr. Jackson, and the Life of Rock with Brian Pern. He also featured riding a cycle around Northern Ireland and meeting local people for a travelogue program for BBC Northern Ireland, Michael Smiley: Something to Ride Home About, in May 2014. He bagged the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2011 British Independent Film Awards for his role in the British horror film Kill List Click to look into! >> Read More... . Michael Smiley is married to Miranda Sawyer, who is a journalist and broadcaster. They have two children, a son, and a daughter. He is currently playing the role of Benny "Deadhead" Silver in Luther, a BBC drama series.