Ben Freeman

Ben Freeman
Born Benedict Freeman
8 April 1980
UK
Occupation Actor
Years active 1996–present

Benedict "Ben" Freeman (born 8 April 1980) is an English television actor, best known for his part in ITV's Emmerdale as Scott Windsor.

Biography

Freeman attended St Bernard's Convent School (now St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School). At school Freeman took a part-time acting course over a school half-term holiday and was spotted by an agent from Redroofs Theatre School, who signed him up. He trained at Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead.

Freeman's first role was playing Chris Longworth in children's school soap Grange Hill. After leaving Grange Hill, when Emmerdale decided to recast the character of Scott Windsor from incumbent Toby Cockerell in 1998, Freeman won the role of the womanising car mechanic Scott. Following Emmerdale, Freeman took to the stage, playing the part of The Prince in Romeo and Juliet, Warner in the final cast of Legally Blonde and Norman in Dreamboats and Petticoats, both in London's West End.

Rape trial

On 3 December 2006, the British Foreign Office confirmed that Freeman had been charged with raping a British 16-year-old girl, while on holiday in Barbados.[1] Freeman, his stepfather and other members of his family had been staying at the Almond Beach Village resort, where the girl was also staying.

In December 2007, an ITV spokesperson confirmed that Freeman would not be renewing his contract for practical reasons, as it expired at the end of 2007. The ITV spokesperson said: "Due to the uncertainty of the process of law and the lead times in writing a character in and out of a soap we cannot be sure of Ben's availability for work, so we cannot renew his contract at this stage."[2] He was found not guilty of rape by a jury after 90 minutes of deliberation on 17 October 2008.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Soap star on holiday rape charge", bbc.co.uk; accessed 22 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Ben Freeman leaves show", itv.com; accessed 22 October 2014.
  3. ↑ Irvine, Chris (18 October 2008). "Former Emmerdale actor Ben Freeman cleared of rape". London, UK: The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 31 May 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2010.

External links