Ayoade, the Cambridge-educated son of a Nigerian father and Swedish mother, was briefly a stand-up on the London circuit before attracting attention in the Perrier-winning Garth Marenghi spoof horror shows.

With fellow ex-Footlighter Matthew Holness, he co-wrote the Perrier nominated Edinburgh show Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight, the sequel of which, Garth Marenghi's Netherhed, won him the award in 2001. It transferred to Channel 4, where it became a cult hit; its DVD becoming a bestseller.

The pair landed a follow-up, a six-part chat show featuring Ayoade’s urbane publisher character at home in his glamorous bachelor pad: Man To Man With Dean Learner.

Ayoade was also part of Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding's original Mighty Boosh cast, playing villain Dixon Bainbridge. However, by this time it came to air, he was under contract by Channel 4 and was only able to act in the pilot. He since returned to play the shaman Saboo in the show's second series.

In 2005, he played the role of Ned Shanks in Chris Morris' and Charlie Brooker's sitcom about trendy media types, Nathan Barley

The following year he played the technically brilliant but socially awkward Moss in Channel 4's The IT Crowd; and also landed the role when it was remade as an American TV pilot.

Ayoade also directed, co-wrote and co-starred (with Matt Berry) in BBC Three’s AD/BC: A Rock Opera.

Submarine
Live Review

If you only know Richard Ayoade as the nutty, uber-geeky, perennial man-child Moss from the IT Crowd, his directorial debut will come as a surprise… but a most welcome one.

Submarine is a low-key coming-of-age comedy-drama set in Eighties retrospect against the grimly melancholic pallor of an anonymous industrial South Wales town. Battle: Los Angeles, it ain’t. What it is, however, is a beautifully observed, quirkily funny and touchingly sweet reminiscence about the awkwardness of first love.

Ayoade has previously cut his directorial teeth with music videos, and the self-centred sensibilities of heartfelt indie-band introspection are writ large here, bolstered by the languorous soundtrack created by Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys.

It captures beautifully the oxymoronic adolescent jumble of bleak know-it-all certainties and crippling insecurities rattling around the head of central character, Oliver Tate. A social outsider, he imagines himself dead, but only to fantasise about how crippled by grief his desolate schoolmates would be. In truth, he is so detached that he has few friends – a solitary submarine, cruising unnoticed beneath everyone else’s gaze is the titular metaphor – so becomes a reluctant bully in an attempt to fit in and impress the aloof Jordana Bevan.

They do, indeed, form a suitably uncomfortable relationship; Oliver seeing it unfold through the lens of the imaginary film crew recording his life – an idea used sparingly, but just enough for some wry in-jokes from Ayoade. And if you are going to have your life on film, this offbeat comedian is the man to do it. He, and cinematographer Erik Wilson, can make a chemical plant look romantic; while motifs such as Jordan’s red coat – surely a cinematic homage -  put a strong visual stamp on proceedings.

At home, things are no better for Oliver, as his drab parents, Jill and Lloyd, a former Open University lecturer, limp through a repressed, lifeless marriage until their predictable routine becomes threatened by the arrival of one of Jill’s old flames, the appallingly self-important lifestyle coach – and wannabe ninja –  Graham. Such characters – and a few set-pieces such as an attempted pet poisoning – are the stuff of sitcom, but Ayoade depicts them all with such subdued realism, it ensures this is a sweet comedy of gauche behaviour, not broad slapstick.

Paddy Considine plays the preposterous Graham with perfect comic pitch and hilarious mullet, but it is the younger stars who undoubtedly carry this impeccably observed film. As Oliver, Craig Roberts is emotionally vacant, yet somehow compelling, while as the unromantic, borderline-pyromaniac teenage femme fatale Jordana, Yasmin Paige is a revelation.

The quirks of the characters, the knowing, unsentimental direction and – most of all, the warm charm that pervades every scene means that Submarine certainly reaches hidden depths. Especially for those who remember the crippling social discomfort of adolescence – rather than those still suffering it.\r\n

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Darkworld is a great concept with no legs, but Ayoade will go on to much bigger and better things.

Hamish, February 2004

He was responsible for the only funny bits in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

Sparkle, January 2004

Seen recently live and I went home crying.. with laughter. He stormed the gig

Rhona, March 2003

Richard had me laughing so much it hurt throughout his varied, observational act. I will definitely be looking out for him in the future. He WILL make it.

Gill, September 2002

He stands out in whatever he does. Just one of those guys who can make anything sound funny.

Barrel, July 2002

Thought he was wonderful in Garth Marenghi's Netherhead. Never mind stand-up, the boy should be acting.

Jim, April 2002

Thought he was ace in Garth Marenghi Darkplace and even funnier in Nathan Barley.

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