Ben Miller

Ben Miller
Miller at the 2008 BAFTA Television Awards
Born	Bennet Evan Miller (1966-02-24) 24 February 1966 London, England, United Kingdom
Education	Natural sciences
Alma mater	St Catharine's College, Cambridge
Occupation	Comedian, director, actor
Spouse(s)	Belinda Stewart-Wilson (2004-11) Jessica Parker (2013-)
Children	Two sons

Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller (born 24 February 1966)^[1] is an English comedian, actor, and director. He is best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong and for starring as James Lester on ITV's science fiction programme Primeval. Miller and Armstrong wrote and starred in the Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television sketch show The Armstrong and Miller Show. Between 2011 and 2014, he appeared in the crime drama series Death in Paradise. He is also known for his role as Bough alongside Rowan Atkinson in the 2003 film Johnny English.

Early life and education

Miller was born in London, England, and grew up in Nantwich, Cheshire.^[2] His paternal grandfather was a Lithuanian-born tailor who lived in London's East End;^[3] his father, Michael Miller, was a lecturer in American Literature at the City of Birmingham Polytechnic; and his Welsh mother, Marion, taught English at South Cheshire College.^[3] He has two younger sisters, Leah and Bronwen.

He was educated at Malbank School and Sixth Form College, his local comprehensive school in Nantwich, Cheshire. He then studied Natural Sciences at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he acted with and dated Rachel Weisz.^[4][5] He remained at Cambridge to study for a Ph.D. in solid state physics, titled "Novel quantum effects in low-temperature quasi-zero dimensional mesoscopic electron systems,"^[6][7] but later abandoned his thesis to pursue a career in comedy.^[6]

Miller's interest in comedy began when a friend asked him to help ferry around the judges of the National Student Drama Festival, which was being held that year in Cambridge.^[8] Having already finished his undergraduate degree, he then joined the Footlights in 1989 alongside the likes of Andy Parsons, David Wolstencroft and Sue Perkins and went on to direct a revue.^[9]

Career

Miller decided not to continue his doctorate studies and moved to London to pursue a career in comedy.^[10] He was introduced to fellow Cambridge graduate Alexander Armstrong in 1992, at the TBA Sketch Comedy Group, a comedy club which ran at the Gate Theatre Studio, Notting Hill throughout the 1990s. They performed their first full-length show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1994, and returned in 1996, whereupon they were nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award.^[11]

Their success resulted in the commissioning of the television series Armstrong and Miller, which ran for four series in total from 1997 to 2001 – one on the Paramount Comedy Channel, and three on Channel 4. The duo had their own radio show with the same name on BBC Radio 4 in 1998, which featured many of the sketches and characters from their TV series, and a second show, Children's Hour with Armstrong and Miller, later in the same year. After a six-year break, the show was recommissioned for Hattrick Productions as The Armstrong and Miller Show and is currently in its third series.^[12]

In 2001, Miller starred in Steve Coogan's first feature film, the British comedy The Parole Officer.^[13] In 2003 he played the role of 'Bough', sidekick to Rowan Atkinson's title character in the film Johnny English. In 2004 he co-starred in The Prince and Me. In 2004 and 2005, he starred in two consecutive series of the BBC television series The Worst Week of My Life,^[14] alongside Sarah Alexander,^[2] followed in 2006 by a three-part Christmas special, The Worst Christmas of My Life. Since 2007 he is starring as James Lester in ITV's sci-fi drama Primeval,^[11] and as Mr Jonathan in the Australian film Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance.^[8]

From 2001 until 2007, Miller provided the voice for the ITV Digital and now PG Tips Monkey, in a popular series of television advertisements featuring Johnny Vegas.^[15]

In 2008, he appeared in three ITV1 series, as television producer Jonathan Pope in Tony Jordan's series Moving Wallpaper. He also starred in Thank God You're Here.

In 2010 he made his directorial debut with the film Huge.

In 2011 (as revealed by Miller on Twitter), he reprised his role as James Lester in Primeval.

Since November 2011, he has been in The Ladykillers at the Gielgud Theatre playing Louis Harvey.

He also launched his book 'It's Not Rocket Science' opening a book tour at the Royal Society on July 23 of 2012 in London. Also has appeared at the C4 British Comedy Awards with Alexander Armstrong, has filmed an episode of 'Room 101' and a 'Comic Relief' Pointless Special, both due to air early 2013.

One of his more recent successes, is starring in the BBC TV Series Death in Paradise, where he plays DI Richard Poole. Series 2 of Death in Paradise aired on BBC one from the 8th of January to the 26th of February 2013.^[16] A third series of Death in Paradise was commissioned for early 2014.^[17] However on April 9, 2013 it was announced that Ben Miller will be departing Death in Paradise during season 3^[18] and is to be replaced by actor Kris Marshall. Filming of Death in Paradise began in March 2013, and Miller left in May 2013 after completion of the first episode.

Ben has also been filming in 'Molly Moon' a feature film due for release in 2013 or 2014, the date yet to be finalized.^[19] Miller was also cast with Billy Connolly and David Tennant to appear in a new film "What We Did on Our Holiday" due to start filming in Scotland from June 17, 2013.^[20]

Starring alongside Nancy Carroll and Diana Vickers,^[21] he is to play the lead role of Robert Houston in the new play The Duck House by Dan Patterson and Colin Swash.^[22] The show is a political satire based on the UK parliamentary expenses scandal.^[22]

Production

Miller directed a television pilot, which subsequently became the first episode of Steve Coogan's 2006 British BBC TV Comedy series Saxondale. With Armstrong, he has formed a production company named Toff Media.

Awards

Miller was awarded a Judges' Commendation for his portrayal of Hamlet at the 1990 National Student Drama Festival. He co-wrote MindGym, winner of the first BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Award for comedy in 1998, with Tim Wright and Adam Gee. He and Armstrong won a BCA Award for The Armstrong and Miller Show. In 2010 they also won a BAFTA for The Armstrong and Miller Show.^[23]

Personal life

Miller was married to Belinda Stewart-Wilson (who guest-starred with him in Series 3 of Primeval), they divorced in 2011. They have a son, Jackson a.k.a Sonny, (born 2006). Miller also has a son, Harrison born late 2011 with his partner, production executive Jessica Parker whom he married in September 2013.^[24][25][26]

A talented musician, Miller plays the guitar and drums^[2]

Rob Brydon is often mistaken for Miller,^[4][14] with whom he appeared on an episode of QI, first broadcast on 20 February 2009 (Series 6. 9). As a joke, they dressed in similar shirts and shared a narcissistic kiss.^[7][27]

Filmography

References

External links

• The Armstrong & Miller Show official website
• Ben Miller at the Internet Movie Database
• Ben Miller hands out his very own BAFTAs