Ben Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Benjamin "Ben" Mitchell is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
. The role has been played by four different actors. Matthew Silver appeared as an infant Ben from 1996–98, and Morgan Whittle played him as a toddler from 1999–2000. After a six-year absence from the series, Charlie Jones
assumed the role of Ben in 2006. Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
axed Jones as part of a series revamp in 2010; the role was recast to Joshua Pascoe later that year.
Ben's primary storylines have seen him caught in the middle of a feud between the show's Mitchell
and Beale families, abused by his stepmother, developing a burgeoning interest in dance and the arts, being sent to juvenile detention after attacking his bully and coming to terms with his homosexuality. He has been poorly received by television critics, dubbed "spooky" and "gormless" and nicknamed "Silly Elliot
" by the Daily Mirror. Grace Dent
of The Guardian
has written several negative opinion pieces on Ben, stating that she has emailed the BBC a list of suggestions for humorous storylines in which Ben could be killed off.
(Steve McFadden
) and Kathy Mitchell (Gillian Taylforth
). He has meningitis
as a baby, which leaves him partially deaf in one ear. In 1998, Kathy moves to South Africa
and takes Ben with her. She dies in a car crash eight years later, so Ben returns to England to live with his half-brother Ian Beale
(Adam Woodyatt
). He eventually moves in with Phil, after his father wins a long custody battle. Ben dislikes Phil's new girlfriend Stella Crawford
(Sophie Thompson
), who in turn feels that Ben is intruding on their relationship. She abuses Ben physically and psychologically, from burning him with a hot spoon, to threatening to kill Phil if Ben tells anyone about her actions. Phil and Stella become engaged. On their wedding day, Ben admits that Stella has been abusing him; she commits suicide by jumping from a roof. Phil, a recovering alcoholic, begins drinking again in the aftermath, but resumes a life of sobriety for Ben's sake.
Unbeknownst to Phil, Ben develops an interest in dancing. He secretly takes classes and passes a dance exam, and is ultimately able to gain his father's approval. In March 2010, Phil's estranged daughter Louise (Brittany Papple) comes to stay with the family. She steals Ben's diary and fakes an entry which suggests that he is gay. In retaliation, Ben burns Louise's hand the same way Stella burnt his. He later locks Louise in a summerhouse for a day, then pretends to find her to earn approval from his father. Louise blames Jordan Johnson (Michael-Joel David Stuart
), an acquaintance of Ben's, but when Phil sees burns on Louise's arm, she reveals that Ben is to blame. Phil worries that Ben is copying Stella, and punches him when he catches Ben about to burn Louise again. Questioned as to why he hurt Louise, Ben claims that Jordan is bullying him. Phil advises Ben to fight back; soon thereafter, Ben attacks Jordan with a spanner and leaves him with a fractured skull and ankle. His father warns him against admitting to the attack, but Ben confesses and moves in with Ian. His case is referred to the Crown Court, where he receives a twelve month sentence, reduced to eight months as he pleaded guilty, with five months to be spent in juvenile detention. He is badly bullied inside, and asks his family not to visit him.
(Glynis Barber
) ruins Ben's welcome home party, he pushes her down a flight of stairs. Ian gives Ben a false alibi, and he and Phil threaten Glenda into withdrawing her complaint to the police. Ben begins secretly talking to Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison
) via a dating website using a fake profile. He leads her to believe someone is interested in her, which leaves Heather devastated when Ben ends the prank by claiming that "Kevin" has died in a motor accident. When Phil mocks Heather's grief, Ben admits his deception. Heather realises that Ben needed someone to confide in and is able to forgive him, but Ben decides to leave Walford to stay with his grandmother Peggy Mitchell
(Barbara Windsor
).
Peggy encourages Ben to return home, and he and his father agree to make a fresh start. He begins attending the gym, and shares a kiss with boxer Duncan Willis (Steven France). They are later seen kissing by local shopkeeper Patrick Trueman
(Rudolph Walker
). Ben throws a brick through Patrick's window and confronts him in his shop. Phil observes and misinterprets their altercation. He launches a vendetta against Patrick, which results in him being branded a racist. Duncan confronts Ben about his treatment of Patrick, and tells him that their kiss meant nothing to him. Ben eventually admits the kiss; Phil pushes him away, injuring him, and later walks out when Ben tells him he is gay. Lola Pearce
(Danielle Harold
), a distant relative of Ben's, offers to have sex with him to test his sexuality. They sleep together and conclude that Ben is definitely gay. Ben develops feelings for Christian Clarke
(John Partridge
), who is also gay. He tries to kiss him, but is mortified when Christian rejects him outright, and later claims that Christian touched him inappropriately. Phil menaces Christian with a baseball bat, which prompts Ben to admit the truth. His father suggests that they try to accept each other for who they are. Ben is concerned to discover that Lola is pregnant, however she says that he is not the father.
, who would play his cousin Courtney Mitchell. While Ben is partially deaf, Jones is a hearing actor. The Guardian
Rebecca Atkinson suggested that, as only the second disabled character in EastEnders history, Ben was introduced to fulfil a BBC quota. She criticised Jones' casting, and opined, "The use of able-bodied actors to play disabled characters is endemic. Maybe in theory there's nothing wrong with that, but while real disabled people are invisible it is downright offensive to persistently cast able-bodied people in disabled roles." Scott Matthewman of The Stage
sympathised with Atkinson's complaint, but defended Jones' casting: "it's hard enough to find good child actors who can cope with a soap opera environment at age 10, let alone ones that fit a character’s physical requirement set out the best part of a decade earlier." Journalist Charlie Swinbourne, himself deaf, welcomed Ben's re-introduction for increasing high-profile deaf representation on television.
During Jones' tenure, Ben was portrayed as being physically weak. McFadden described him as unable "to look after himself" when Ben was on the verge of being sent to a young offenders' institute. He subsequently took boxing lessons, and TV Mag Gemma Quade noted that Ben "refuse[d] to take the coward's way out" and flee the country with his father, but nonetheless was reduced to tears upon receiving a custodial sentence.
In May 2010, it was announced that Ben would be written out of EastEnders as part of the show's revamp by executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
. A spokesperson said that his departure would be "one of the biggest storylines of the summer", with long-lasting repercussions. Confirmation followed that Ben would be recast; Joshua Pascoe assumed the part and expressed his enthusiasm to "[make] the role of Ben [his] own." Pascoe first appeared on 13 December 2010. Allison Maund of Inside Soap
observed upon Ben's re-introduction that he bore "very little resemblance to the naive young boy he was before being sent down." A later comment in the same publication contrasted the two portrayals; it described the character under Jones as "sweet young Ben, dancing around to Girls Aloud
songs", and observed that as played by Pascoe, he seems "to be dancing to the Devil's tune these days".
Pascoe took a break from the series in 2011, during which Kirkwood stated that viewers may have failed to connect with his portrayal of Ben, as it differed significantly from Jones'. He deemed Ben a "very complex character" and said, "we will see a softer side to Ben when he returns, but the character has evolved. The character has been brutalised in his young offenders' institute and he's also the son of Phil." Considering the character's potential, Kirkwood envisioned Ben and Jay Mitchell
(Jamie Borthwick
) becoming the new generation of Mitchell brothers
, following on from Phil and Grant.
(Thomas Law
) were involved in a car accident, when the Range Rover
they were travelling in crashed into a lake. The scenes cost £1 million to produce and were filmed in Surrey over four days, partly in a specially designed stunt tank. Jones had both a stunt double and dummy to supplement his scenes. Despite being one of the most expensive stunts ever filmed by a soap opera, the episode drew EastEnders lowest ever audience share and second lowest ratings due to a scheduling conflict with ITV
's Emmerdale
.
EastEnders scriptwriters worked closely with the NSPCC
on the storyline which saw Ben abused by Stella. According to Thompson, the best aspect of the storyline was the fact she and Jones "felt so safe and comfortable with each other as actors. And obviously we knew that we were both just telling a story and it was far from real." Explaining the motivation behind Stella's abuse of Ben, she revealed: "As far as Ben's concerned, she sees him as an obstacle which she has to overcome to get what she wants. And the fact she doesn't understand unconditional love, the fact she's never experienced it, goes a long way in explaining why she's treating Ben the way she is. Ultimately, Ben's in her way and she realises that she has a hold over him and she'll use that power to get him out of the way and to get that ring on her finger she has longed for."
It was reported in July 2011 that Ben would come out as a homosexual. He became the third gay character in the series at the time, and the sixteenth in its history. Kirkwood commented, "For EastEnders viewers, it was never a question of if, but more like when Ben Mitchell was going to come out as gay. The Mitchells represent the spirit of EastEnders – tough, loyal and uncompromising. To see a man like Phil learn to deal with, and ultimately accept, his gay son, is a valid story for a drama like EastEnders to embark on." McFadden stated that Phil had never considered the possibility of Ben being gay, rather, he held an idealised view of his son and hoped he would become more like Jay, interested in "normal macho things". He explained that, while Phil could see his son was in turmoil, he was unaware of the depth of it, and believed Ben to be confused about his sexuality because of a prison assault. In contrast, Kirkwood stated his belief that Ben's coming out would not be a surprise to Phil, and that he had "probably been dreading this news for many years." Scriptwriter Christopher Reason said that Ben's storyline would be a long-running one, which would see him "learn wrath" from his father.
, and was nominated as the Best Soap Storyline at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards. During the storyline, the BBC received sixty complaints when Stella was seen to watch and laugh as bullies kicked Ben to the ground. A spokeswoman responded, "We know viewers could consider this storyline disturbing but we aim to reflect the reality of bullying."
Ben as played by Jones received largely negative reviews from critics. The Guardian
Grace Dent
called him a "spooky little git", and her fellow Guardian writer Daniel Martin deemed him "gormless". As part of an EastEnders-themed drinking game, Digital Spy
Alex Fletcher instructed players to drink beer every time Ben "is spotted whimpering on the stairs". Dent suggested that Phil and Ian's fighting over custody of Ben would turn him into "the next Jeffrey Dahmer
", and in an article on the future of Britain's soap opera adolescents, noted that: "Albert Square will no doubt reap what it's sown with tiny, cursed, abused, accident-prone, 11-year-old Ben Mitchell. Oh it's going to be fun and games when Ben turns 16 and finds his inner anger." Continuing this theme, Dent questioned "how far are they going to push this little boy?". She listed the many setbacks and problems Ben had encountered, and suggested that within five years, he would be "on top of the community centre with a rifle using [Peggy's] wig as target practice." Dent later criticized a string of storylines which saw Ben endangered, from his abuse by Stella, to a car accident in which he almost drowned. She stated that his numerous pitfalls were becoming "a touch daft" and likened Ben to the often-killed South Park
character Kenny McCormick
. Dent hypothesised that the EastEnders scriptwriters "cheer themseves by conjuring up fresh ways to dispense with [Ben]" and said she had contacted the BBC with her own suggestions for creative deaths that might befall him.
Kevin O'Sullivan of the Daily Mirror commented on "ballet-loving Ben's obsession with West End
musicals, Judy Garland
and dancing," and in 2008 suggested that Ben was gay, pre-dating the character's coming out
by three years. The Guardian Lisa O'Connell welcomed the eventual decision to have Ben come out, and called the plot "a perfect foundation for years of dramatic conflict", which would "no doubt test the filial relationship to the limits." The November 2011 storyline which featured Ben's false molestation accusation against Christian, and Phil's subsequent attack on him, drew criticism from singer George Michael
, who stated that EastEnders depiction of homosexuality was "insulting to the gay community." A BBC spokesperson responded, "EastEnders reflects a wide range of issues. All soap characters face their own trials and tribulations in order to create drama, however EastEnders viewers will know that this is a story about Phil Mitchell who, while struggling with his own relationship with his son, will do anything to protect him."
On several occasions during his tenure, bookmakers have offered odds on Ben's storylines. In 2010, William Hill
named him the 11/4 favourite to be found responsible for the whodunnit murder of Archie Mitchell
. The culprit was revealed during the series' first live episode
– Jones was in third place at 7/1 odds to make a mistake during transmission. After Jones' departure was announced, despite confirmation that the role would be recast, Ben became the favourite to be the next character killed off.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. The role has been played by four different actors. Matthew Silver appeared as an infant Ben from 1996–98, and Morgan Whittle played him as a toddler from 1999–2000. After a six-year absence from the series, Charlie Jones
Charlie Jones (actor)
Charlie George Jones is a young English actor. Jones has been a student in the Anna Fiorentini theater and drama school.He is probably best known for his portrayal of Ben Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he played for four years from 2006 to 2010. According to the Internet Movie...
assumed the role of Ben in 2006. Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
axed Jones as part of a series revamp in 2010; the role was recast to Joshua Pascoe later that year.
Ben's primary storylines have seen him caught in the middle of a feud between the show's Mitchell
Mitchell family
The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The first Mitchell nuclear family introduced were Eric Mitchell's widow Peggy Mitchell and her three children, Phil, Grant and Sam...
and Beale families, abused by his stepmother, developing a burgeoning interest in dance and the arts, being sent to juvenile detention after attacking his bully and coming to terms with his homosexuality. He has been poorly received by television critics, dubbed "spooky" and "gormless" and nicknamed "Silly Elliot
Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
" by the Daily Mirror. Grace Dent
Grace Dent
Grace Dent is an English journalist, author, and broadcaster. Dent writes mainly for The Guardian, where she has a weekly column on television, 'Grace Dent's TV-OD'. She also writes for magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire. She writes a restaurant review column for the London Evening...
of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
has written several negative opinion pieces on Ben, stating that she has emailed the BBC a list of suggestions for humorous storylines in which Ben could be killed off.
1996–2010
Ben is born in 1996 to PhilPhil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
) and Kathy Mitchell (Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Kathy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, EastEnders and as Jackie Pascoe-Webb on ITV's Footballers Wives , but more recently as Sgt. Nikki Wright in ITV's The Bill...
). He has meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
as a baby, which leaves him partially deaf in one ear. In 1998, Kathy moves to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and takes Ben with her. She dies in a car crash eight years later, so Ben returns to England to live with his half-brother Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
). He eventually moves in with Phil, after his father wins a long custody battle. Ben dislikes Phil's new girlfriend Stella Crawford
Stella Crawford
Stella Crawford is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sophie Thompson. She left the show on 20 July 2007.-Storylines:...
(Sophie Thompson
Sophie Thompson
Sophie Thompson is an award-winning English actress, best known for playing Stella Crawford in EastEnders.-Early life:...
), who in turn feels that Ben is intruding on their relationship. She abuses Ben physically and psychologically, from burning him with a hot spoon, to threatening to kill Phil if Ben tells anyone about her actions. Phil and Stella become engaged. On their wedding day, Ben admits that Stella has been abusing him; she commits suicide by jumping from a roof. Phil, a recovering alcoholic, begins drinking again in the aftermath, but resumes a life of sobriety for Ben's sake.
Unbeknownst to Phil, Ben develops an interest in dancing. He secretly takes classes and passes a dance exam, and is ultimately able to gain his father's approval. In March 2010, Phil's estranged daughter Louise (Brittany Papple) comes to stay with the family. She steals Ben's diary and fakes an entry which suggests that he is gay. In retaliation, Ben burns Louise's hand the same way Stella burnt his. He later locks Louise in a summerhouse for a day, then pretends to find her to earn approval from his father. Louise blames Jordan Johnson (Michael-Joel David Stuart
Michael-Joel David Stuart
Michael-Joel David Stuart is a young British actor.Michael-Joel made his television debut in the BBC's award-winning drama production . He also performed as young Sunny in the West-End musical Daddy Cool and as young Simba in the West-End musical The Lion King. In 2007 he played Buckwheat in the...
), an acquaintance of Ben's, but when Phil sees burns on Louise's arm, she reveals that Ben is to blame. Phil worries that Ben is copying Stella, and punches him when he catches Ben about to burn Louise again. Questioned as to why he hurt Louise, Ben claims that Jordan is bullying him. Phil advises Ben to fight back; soon thereafter, Ben attacks Jordan with a spanner and leaves him with a fractured skull and ankle. His father warns him against admitting to the attack, but Ben confesses and moves in with Ian. His case is referred to the Crown Court, where he receives a twelve month sentence, reduced to eight months as he pleaded guilty, with five months to be spent in juvenile detention. He is badly bullied inside, and asks his family not to visit him.
2010––
Upon his release, Ben hits his father in the face; Phil responds by welcoming his son home with a hug. When a drunken Glenda MitchellGlenda Mitchell
The following is a list of characters who first appeared or are due to appear in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2010, by order of first appearance...
(Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
) ruins Ben's welcome home party, he pushes her down a flight of stairs. Ian gives Ben a false alibi, and he and Phil threaten Glenda into withdrawing her complaint to the police. Ben begins secretly talking to Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison
Cheryl Fergison
Cheryl Fergison is a British actress most notable for playing Heather Trott in the long running BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Career:...
) via a dating website using a fake profile. He leads her to believe someone is interested in her, which leaves Heather devastated when Ben ends the prank by claiming that "Kevin" has died in a motor accident. When Phil mocks Heather's grief, Ben admits his deception. Heather realises that Ben needed someone to confide in and is able to forgive him, but Ben decides to leave Walford to stay with his grandmother Peggy Mitchell
Peggy Mitchell
Margaret Ann "Peggy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peggy was initially played by Jo Warne when she first appeared on 30 April 1991, featuring in the series on a recurring basis over several weeks. Peggy was reintroduced in 1994, recast and was then played by...
(Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
).
Peggy encourages Ben to return home, and he and his father agree to make a fresh start. He begins attending the gym, and shares a kiss with boxer Duncan Willis (Steven France). They are later seen kissing by local shopkeeper Patrick Trueman
Patrick Trueman
Patrick Neville Loftus Alfonso Trueman is a fictional character from the popular British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Rudolph Walker. He made his first appearance on 13 September 2001.-Backstory:...
(Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
). Ben throws a brick through Patrick's window and confronts him in his shop. Phil observes and misinterprets their altercation. He launches a vendetta against Patrick, which results in him being branded a racist. Duncan confronts Ben about his treatment of Patrick, and tells him that their kiss meant nothing to him. Ben eventually admits the kiss; Phil pushes him away, injuring him, and later walks out when Ben tells him he is gay. Lola Pearce
Lola Pearce
Lola Pearce is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Danielle Harold. Lola is the granddaughter of Billy Mitchell and Julie Perkins . Lola made her first appearance on 12 July 2011....
(Danielle Harold
Danielle Harold
Danielle Amy Louise Harold is an English actress from Lewisham, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Lola Pearce.-Career:...
), a distant relative of Ben's, offers to have sex with him to test his sexuality. They sleep together and conclude that Ben is definitely gay. Ben develops feelings for Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Partridge. He made his first appearance on 17 January 2008.-Storylines:...
(John Partridge
John Partridge (performer)
John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
), who is also gay. He tries to kiss him, but is mortified when Christian rejects him outright, and later claims that Christian touched him inappropriately. Phil menaces Christian with a baseball bat, which prompts Ben to admit the truth. His father suggests that they try to accept each other for who they are. Ben is concerned to discover that Lola is pregnant, however she says that he is not the father.
Casting and characterisation
Having previously appeared as a baby and a toddler, Ben returned to EastEnders in 2006 played by child actor Charlie Jones. Jones was cast alongside Megan JossaMegan Jossa
Megan Carmel Hollie Jossa is a teen actress best known for playing Courtney Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Biography:...
, who would play his cousin Courtney Mitchell. While Ben is partially deaf, Jones is a hearing actor. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Rebecca Atkinson suggested that, as only the second disabled character in EastEnders history, Ben was introduced to fulfil a BBC quota. She criticised Jones' casting, and opined, "The use of able-bodied actors to play disabled characters is endemic. Maybe in theory there's nothing wrong with that, but while real disabled people are invisible it is downright offensive to persistently cast able-bodied people in disabled roles." Scott Matthewman of The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
sympathised with Atkinson's complaint, but defended Jones' casting: "it's hard enough to find good child actors who can cope with a soap opera environment at age 10, let alone ones that fit a character’s physical requirement set out the best part of a decade earlier." Journalist Charlie Swinbourne, himself deaf, welcomed Ben's re-introduction for increasing high-profile deaf representation on television.
During Jones' tenure, Ben was portrayed as being physically weak. McFadden described him as unable "to look after himself" when Ben was on the verge of being sent to a young offenders' institute. He subsequently took boxing lessons, and TV Mag Gemma Quade noted that Ben "refuse[d] to take the coward's way out" and flee the country with his father, but nonetheless was reduced to tears upon receiving a custodial sentence.
In May 2010, it was announced that Ben would be written out of EastEnders as part of the show's revamp by executive producer Bryan Kirkwood
Bryan Kirkwood (producer)
Bryan Kirkwood is a Scottish-born British television producer. He was the producer of teen Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2009 and has been the executive producer of the BBC soap EastEnders since 2010.- Personal life :...
. A spokesperson said that his departure would be "one of the biggest storylines of the summer", with long-lasting repercussions. Confirmation followed that Ben would be recast; Joshua Pascoe assumed the part and expressed his enthusiasm to "[make] the role of Ben [his] own." Pascoe first appeared on 13 December 2010. Allison Maund of Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
observed upon Ben's re-introduction that he bore "very little resemblance to the naive young boy he was before being sent down." A later comment in the same publication contrasted the two portrayals; it described the character under Jones as "sweet young Ben, dancing around to Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
songs", and observed that as played by Pascoe, he seems "to be dancing to the Devil's tune these days".
Pascoe took a break from the series in 2011, during which Kirkwood stated that viewers may have failed to connect with his portrayal of Ben, as it differed significantly from Jones'. He deemed Ben a "very complex character" and said, "we will see a softer side to Ben when he returns, but the character has evolved. The character has been brutalised in his young offenders' institute and he's also the son of Phil." Considering the character's potential, Kirkwood envisioned Ben and Jay Mitchell
Jay Brown
James "Jay" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jamie Borthwick. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 December 2006.-Backstory:...
(Jamie Borthwick
Jamie Borthwick
Jamie Simon Borthwick is a British actor.-Career:Borthwick portrays Jay Brown in EastEnders, though his first appearance on mainstream television was as an orphan in the Celebrate 'Oliver!' musical alongside Shane Richie and Joseph McManners...
) becoming the new generation of Mitchell brothers
Mitchell family
The Mitchell family is a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The first Mitchell nuclear family introduced were Eric Mitchell's widow Peggy Mitchell and her three children, Phil, Grant and Sam...
, following on from Phil and Grant.
Storyline development
In 2007, Ben was part of a storyline in which he, his father, Ian and Peter BealePeter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
(Thomas Law
Thomas Law
Thomas John Law is a British actor. He is the fourth actor to play Peter Beale in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders...
) were involved in a car accident, when the Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
they were travelling in crashed into a lake. The scenes cost £1 million to produce and were filmed in Surrey over four days, partly in a specially designed stunt tank. Jones had both a stunt double and dummy to supplement his scenes. Despite being one of the most expensive stunts ever filmed by a soap opera, the episode drew EastEnders lowest ever audience share and second lowest ratings due to a scheduling conflict with ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
.
EastEnders scriptwriters worked closely with the NSPCC
NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
on the storyline which saw Ben abused by Stella. According to Thompson, the best aspect of the storyline was the fact she and Jones "felt so safe and comfortable with each other as actors. And obviously we knew that we were both just telling a story and it was far from real." Explaining the motivation behind Stella's abuse of Ben, she revealed: "As far as Ben's concerned, she sees him as an obstacle which she has to overcome to get what she wants. And the fact she doesn't understand unconditional love, the fact she's never experienced it, goes a long way in explaining why she's treating Ben the way she is. Ultimately, Ben's in her way and she realises that she has a hold over him and she'll use that power to get him out of the way and to get that ring on her finger she has longed for."
It was reported in July 2011 that Ben would come out as a homosexual. He became the third gay character in the series at the time, and the sixteenth in its history. Kirkwood commented, "For EastEnders viewers, it was never a question of if, but more like when Ben Mitchell was going to come out as gay. The Mitchells represent the spirit of EastEnders – tough, loyal and uncompromising. To see a man like Phil learn to deal with, and ultimately accept, his gay son, is a valid story for a drama like EastEnders to embark on." McFadden stated that Phil had never considered the possibility of Ben being gay, rather, he held an idealised view of his son and hoped he would become more like Jay, interested in "normal macho things". He explained that, while Phil could see his son was in turmoil, he was unaware of the depth of it, and believed Ben to be confused about his sexuality because of a prison assault. In contrast, Kirkwood stated his belief that Ben's coming out would not be a surprise to Phil, and that he had "probably been dreading this news for many years." Scriptwriter Christopher Reason said that Ben's storyline would be a long-running one, which would see him "learn wrath" from his father.
Reception
In 2007, Ben's abuse by Stella won Best Storyline at the Inside Soap AwardsInside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
, and was nominated as the Best Soap Storyline at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards. During the storyline, the BBC received sixty complaints when Stella was seen to watch and laugh as bullies kicked Ben to the ground. A spokeswoman responded, "We know viewers could consider this storyline disturbing but we aim to reflect the reality of bullying."
Ben as played by Jones received largely negative reviews from critics. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Grace Dent
Grace Dent
Grace Dent is an English journalist, author, and broadcaster. Dent writes mainly for The Guardian, where she has a weekly column on television, 'Grace Dent's TV-OD'. She also writes for magazines such as Tatler and Marie Claire. She writes a restaurant review column for the London Evening...
called him a "spooky little git", and her fellow Guardian writer Daniel Martin deemed him "gormless". As part of an EastEnders-themed drinking game, Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
Alex Fletcher instructed players to drink beer every time Ben "is spotted whimpering on the stairs". Dent suggested that Phil and Ian's fighting over custody of Ben would turn him into "the next Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender. Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, with the majority of the murders occurring between 1987 and 1991. His murders involved rape, dismemberment, necrophilia and cannibalism...
", and in an article on the future of Britain's soap opera adolescents, noted that: "Albert Square will no doubt reap what it's sown with tiny, cursed, abused, accident-prone, 11-year-old Ben Mitchell. Oh it's going to be fun and games when Ben turns 16 and finds his inner anger." Continuing this theme, Dent questioned "how far are they going to push this little boy?". She listed the many setbacks and problems Ben had encountered, and suggested that within five years, he would be "on top of the community centre with a rifle using [Peggy's] wig as target practice." Dent later criticized a string of storylines which saw Ben endangered, from his abuse by Stella, to a car accident in which he almost drowned. She stated that his numerous pitfalls were becoming "a touch daft" and likened Ben to the often-killed South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
character Kenny McCormick
Kenny McCormick
Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is one of the four central characters along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. His oft-muffled and indiscernible speech—the result of his parka hood covering his...
. Dent hypothesised that the EastEnders scriptwriters "cheer themseves by conjuring up fresh ways to dispense with [Ben]" and said she had contacted the BBC with her own suggestions for creative deaths that might befall him.
Kevin O'Sullivan of the Daily Mirror commented on "ballet-loving Ben's obsession with West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musicals, Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
and dancing," and in 2008 suggested that Ben was gay, pre-dating the character's coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
by three years. The Guardian Lisa O'Connell welcomed the eventual decision to have Ben come out, and called the plot "a perfect foundation for years of dramatic conflict", which would "no doubt test the filial relationship to the limits." The November 2011 storyline which featured Ben's false molestation accusation against Christian, and Phil's subsequent attack on him, drew criticism from singer George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, who stated that EastEnders depiction of homosexuality was "insulting to the gay community." A BBC spokesperson responded, "EastEnders reflects a wide range of issues. All soap characters face their own trials and tribulations in order to create drama, however EastEnders viewers will know that this is a story about Phil Mitchell who, while struggling with his own relationship with his son, will do anything to protect him."
On several occasions during his tenure, bookmakers have offered odds on Ben's storylines. In 2010, William Hill
William Hill
-People:*William Hill *William Hill , British colonial Proprietary Governor of the Province of Avalon, Newfoundland*William Hill...
named him the 11/4 favourite to be found responsible for the whodunnit murder of Archie Mitchell
Who Killed Archie?
"Who Killed Archie?" is a storyline from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which began on 25 December 2009, Christmas Day, when the character Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb, was murdered by an unseen person. Events leading up to and following the murder put several characters in the frame, in...
. The culprit was revealed during the series' first live episode
EastEnders Live
"EastEnders Live" is a live episode of the British television soap opera EastEnders, broadcast on BBC One on 19 February 2010. The episode was commissioned as part of the show's 25th anniversary celebrations, and was the first EastEnders episode to be broadcast live...
– Jones was in third place at 7/1 odds to make a mistake during transmission. After Jones' departure was announced, despite confirmation that the role would be recast, Ben became the favourite to be the next character killed off.
External links
- Ben Mitchell at What's on TVWhat's On TVWhat's on TV is a weekly television listings magazine published by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.-Overview:What's on TV is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and competitions...