Ben Miller

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Refimprove BLP Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Bennet Evan Miller (born 24 February 1966) is an English comedian, actor, and author. He rose to fame as a member of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, with Alexander Armstrong. He is known for roles as Angus Jeremy Bough in the Johnny English film series, DI Richard Poole in the BBC crime drama series Death in Paradise, and James Lester in the ITV sci-fi series Primeval.

Early life and education

Bennet Evan Miller's parents were teachers. His father taught American literature at the City of Birmingham Polytechnic. His mother was from Neath, Wales.<ref name=Bevan2015 /> His maternal grandfather was a Lithuanian Jew immigrant. His paternal grandfather was a tailor in the East End of London, while his paternal great-grandmother taught English at South Cheshire College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He has two younger sisters.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln.<ref name=Bevan2015>Template:Cite news</ref>

Miller was educated at Malbank School and Sixth Form College in Nantwich before studying Natural Sciences at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. As an undergraduate, he participated in theatre with his then-girlfriend, actress Rachel Weisz.<ref name="Thismuch">This much I know: Ben Miller, The Observer, 24 February 2008</ref> He remained at Cambridge to undertake a PhD in solid state physics,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> with his proposed thesis, "Novel quantum effects in low-temperature quasi-zero-dimensional mesoscopic electron systems".<ref name="RocketScience">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="QI">Template:Cite episode</ref>

However he abandoned his thesis to pursue a career in comedy.<ref name="RocketScience" /> His interest in comedy began when a friend asked him to help chauffeur the judges of the National Student Drama Festival, which was being held that year in Cambridge.<ref name="newsau1">Template:Cite news</ref> Having already finished his degree, he joined the Footlights in 1989 and worked with Andy Parsons, David Wolstencroft and Sue Perkins before he directed a revue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

Miller moved to London to pursue a career in comedy.<ref name="BBCPOAM">The Armstrong & Miller Show – Armstrong and Miller, BBC Press Office – 12 October 2007</ref> 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 together at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1994 and returned in 1996, when they were nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award.<ref name="Cult">Star of Primeval and The Armstrong and Miller Show, cult.tv</ref>

Their success resulted in the commission of the television series Armstrong and Miller, which ran for four series from 1997 to 2001 – one on the Paramount Comedy Channel and three on Channel 4. In 1998, the duo also had their own radio show with the same name on BBC Radio 4, which featured many of the sketches and characters from their TV series. After a six-year break,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the show was recommissioned for Hat Trick Productions as The Armstrong & Miller Show and three series have been produced.<ref name="femalefirst1">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, they also had a second radio show, Children's Hour with Armstrong and Miller.<ref name=BBCR4E1>Template:Cite web</ref>

Miller also started acting in films, starring in Steve Coogan's first feature film, The Parole Officer (2001).<ref>"Coogan's out on Parole", BBC News, 10 August 2001</ref> 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 romantic comedy The Prince and Me.

In 2004 and 2005, he starred in two series of the BBC television series The Worst Week of My Life,<ref name="5Min">The 5-Minute Interview: Ben Miller The Independent, 21 December 2005</ref> with Sarah Alexander.<ref name="HWM1">HOW WE MET: Sarah Alexander & Ben Miller Independent on Sunday – 7 March 2004</ref>Template:Fv In 2006 he took part in a three-part Christmas special, The Worst Christmas of My Life. He starred as James Peregrine Lester in ITV's 2007 sci-fi drama Primeval<ref name="Cult" /> and as children’s dance instructor Mr Jonathan in the Australian mockumentary film Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance.<ref name="newsau1" />

He and Alexander Armstrong formed a production company named Toff Media in 2007. The company was dissolved in 2023.Template:Cn

Miller provided the voice for the ITV Digital and later PG Tips Monkey in a popular series of television advertisements featuring Johnny Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> In 2008, he appeared as television producer Jonathan Pope in Tony Jordan's series Moving Wallpaper on ITV1 and starred in Thank God You're Here.

In 2009, Miller appeared with Rob Brydon in an episode of QI (Series 6. 9). The two have often been mistaken for each other,<ref name="Thismuch" /><ref name="5Min" /> and as a joke they dressed in similar shirts for the episode and shared an on-screen kiss.<ref name="QI" /><ref>Series 6: Episode 9 of 12 BBC QI Broadcasts – Accessed 20 May 2010</ref>

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

In January 2011 he presented an episode of the BBC science series Horizon titled "What is One Degree?". Later in 2011 he reprised his role as James Lester in the TV series Primeval. From November 2011 he played the role of Louis Harvey in The Ladykillers at the Gielgud Theatre.

On 23 July 2012, Miller began touring for his book, It's Not Rocket Science, from the Royal Society in London. He also appeared at the British Comedy Awards with Armstrong on Channel 4. In 2013, Miller took part in an episode of Room 101 and a Comic Relief special of game show Pointless. On 13 December 2014, he appeared in a Christmas edition of The Celebrity Chase.

From 2011 until the series three premiere in 2014, Miller starred in the BBC-French co-produced series Death in Paradise as Detective Inspector (DI) Richard Poole.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A third series of Death in Paradise was commissioned for early 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 9 April 2013 it was announced that Miller would be departing the series,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to be replaced by actor Kris Marshall. Filming began in March 2013, and Miller left in May after completion of the first episode, in which his character was murdered. Miller reprised his role for a cameo appearance in a dream sequence during the tenth series in 2021.

Miller explained he had personal reasons for the change: "It was the job of a lifetime, but logistically I just didn't feel I could continue. My personal circumstances just made it too complicated, but I will miss it like a lung. I love it here."<ref name=RTDIPMillerleaving>Template:Cite news</ref> Miller's wife had discovered she was pregnant after he had begun filming the first series. Their time apart caused strains on his relationship with her and their sons, so he wanted to spend more time with his family.<ref name=RTDIPMillerleaving />

In 2014, Miller appeared in the feature film Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also appeared with Billy Connolly and David Tennant in the film What We Did on Our Holiday.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Miller guest starred in Doctor Who as the Sheriff of Nottingham in the third episode: "Robot of Sherwood".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Fact file">Template:Cite web</ref>

Starring opposite Nancy Carroll and Diana Vickers,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Miller played Robert Houston in the play The Duck House by Dan Patterson and Colin Swash.<ref name="Duck">Template:Cite web</ref> The show is a political satire based on the UK parliamentary expenses scandal.<ref name = "Duck"/>

In 2015, following the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, Miller starred as King John in Series 6 of Horrible Histories.

In October 2015, Miller along with Ruth Jones and Will Close, appeared in adverts for British supermarket Tesco as Roger with Jones as his wife Jo and Close as their son Freddie. In 2016, Miller co-presented the ITV entertainment series It's Not Rocket Science alongside Rachel Riley and Romesh Ranganathan.

In February 2016 Miller issued a book, accompanied by a lecture tour, entitled The Aliens are Coming!, examining the question "are we alone in the universe?"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That year, Miller played the role of Murray in the six-part BBC sitcom I Want My Wife Back, starring alongside Caroline Catz. In 2016 he appeared in the Channel 4 comedy Power Monkeys.

In 2018 he returned to the role of 'Bough', sidekick again to Rowan Atkinson's title character, in the film Johnny English Strikes Again. In September of that same year he played the role of Wolf Hall on the BBC sitcom Upstart Crow.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In November 2022, Miller released his seventh children's book Secrets of a Christmas Elf.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, Miller acted as children's author Jullian Hartswood in the comedy drama Austin for Australian television network ABC TV, and produced by Northern Pictures and Lincoln Pictures.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Miller dated actress Rachel Weisz while they were both studying at Cambridge University during the early 1990s.<ref name="Thismuch" /> He married actress Belinda Stewart-Wilson in 2004, and they had a son before divorcing in 2011. He married production executive Jessica Parker, the daughter of musician Alan Parker, in September 2013; they have a son and daughter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

He has been diagnosed with OCD.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Despite reports to the contrary,<ref name="HWM1" /> in an interview with Roman Kemp on BBC Radio 5 Live in December 2024, Miller said he could not play the drums and did not know where this claim came from.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards

Miller was awarded a Judges' Commendation for his portrayal of Hamlet at the 1990 National Student Drama Festival.Template:Citation needed 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 Template:Clarify for The Armstrong and Miller Show. In 2010 they also won a BAFTA for The Armstrong and Miller Show.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Failed verificationTemplate:Citation needed

In 2021, with the cast of Bridgerton, Miller received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2025, Miller was nominated for a Logie award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Books

• It's Not Rocket Science (2014) Sphere Template:ISBN
• The Aliens Are Coming!: The Exciting and Extraordinary Science Behind Our Search for Life in the Universe (2017) Sphere Template:ISBN
• The Night I Met Father Christmas (2018) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• The Boy Who Made the World Disappear (2019) Simon & Schuster ISBN 978 - 1 - 4711 - 7267 - 0
• The Day I Fell into a Fairytale (2020) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• How I Became a Dog called Midnight (2021) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Diary of a Christmas Elf (2021) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• How I Became a Dog Called Midnight (2022) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• The Night We Got Stuck in a Story (2022) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Secrets of a Christmas Elf (2022) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Once Upon a Legend (2023) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Diary of a Big Bad Wolf (2024) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Robin Hood Aged 10 3/4 (2024) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Diary of a Puss in Boots (2025) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN
• Diary of a Wicked Witch (2025) Simon & Schuster Template:ISBN

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999	Plunkett & Macleane	Dixon
2000	There's Only One Jimmy Grimble	Johnny Two Dogs
	You Can't Dance		Short film
	Tip of My Tongue	Dave	Short film
2001	The Parole Officer	Colin
	Birthday Girl	Concierge
2003	Johnny English	Angus Jeremy Bough
	The Actors	Clive
2004	The Prince & Me	Søren
2007	Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance	Mr Jonathon
2009	Within the Whirlwind	Krasny
2010	4.3.2.1.	Mr. Philips
2011	Johnny English Reborn	Angus Jeremy Bough	Scenes deleted<ref>Deleted scenes from Blu-Ray/DVD extras</ref>
2014	The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm	Mr. Bullimore
2014	What We Did on Our Holiday	Gavin McLeod
2017	Paddington 2	The Colonel
2018	The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir	Officer Smith
	Johnny English Strikes Again	Angus Jeremy Bough
2021	Off the Rails	Dan
2022	This Is Christmas	Jonathan
2024	Paddington in Peru	The Colonel	Cameo

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1991	Murder Most Horrid	P.C. Watkins	Episode: "He Died a Death"
1992	The Pall Bearer's Revue		Episode: "Episode 3"
1993	French and Saunders		Episode: "The Silence of the Lambs"
	Paul Merton: The Series	Various	6 episodes
1995	You Bet!	Himself / various	Series 8, show 6
	Casualty	Daniel Murdoch	Episode: "Trials and Tribulations"
	Look at the State We're In!	Marty	Mini-series
	Sardines	Simon	TV film
1997	The Jack Docherty Show	Various
1997–2001	Armstrong and Miller	Various Roles	27 episodes
1999	Hunting Venus	Gavin	TV film
	Passion Killers	Nick	TV film
	Coming Soon	Ben	TV film
	The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert	French Officer	Video
2000	Cinderella	Dandini	TV film
	The Blind Date	Joe Maxwell
2001	Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible	Rebenor	Episode: "Lesbian Vampire Lovers of Lust"
2002	Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dalí	Yoyotte	TV film
	The Book Group	Martin Logan	2 episodes
	Jeffrey Archer: The Truth	Roland Moxley-Nemesis	TV film
2004	Agatha Christie's Marple	Basil Blake	TV film; "The Body in the Library"
	Doc Martin	Stewart James	Episode: "The Portwenn Effect"
2004–06	The Worst Week of My Life	Howard Steel	17 episodes
2005	Malice Aforethought	Dr. Edmund Bickleigh	TV film
	Doc Martin	Stewart James	Episode: "Out of the Woods"
2006	Popetown	The Priest	10 episodes
	Saxondale	Bernard Langley	Episode: "Episode No. 1.6"
2007–11	Primeval	James Lester	30 episodes
2007–10	The Armstrong & Miller Show	Various Roles	19 episodes
2008–09	Moving Wallpaper	Jonathan Pope	18 episodes
2008	Moving Wallpaper: The Mole	Jonathan Pope	2 episodes; uncredited
2009	The Catherine Tate Show	Ghost of Christmas Past	Episode "Nan's Christmas Carol"
	QI	Himself	Comedy Panel Show; Episode "The Future"
2011–2014, 2021	Death in Paradise	DI Richard Poole	Series 1–3, 10; 18 episodes
2011	Episodes	Himself	1 episode
	Felix and Murdo	Various
2013	Room 101	Himself	1 episodes
2014	This is Jinsy	Chief Acco / Berpetta	1 episode
	Doctor Who	Sheriff of Nottingham	Episode: "Robot of Sherwood"
2015	Horrible Science	Professor McTaggart (voice)/various	10 episodes
	Asylum	Dan Hern	3 episodes
	Mr. Bean: Funeral	Mourner who sits next to Mr. Bean	TV short
	Ballot Monkeys	Kevin Sturridge	5 episodes
	Horrible Histories	King John	1 episode
2016	It's Not Rocket Science	Co-presenter
	I Want My Wife Back	Murray
2017	Tracey Ullman's Show	Rupert Murdoch	2 episodes
2018	Tracey Breaks the News
	Upstart Crow	Wolf Hall	Episode: "If You Prick Us, Do We Not Bleed?"
2019	Sticks and Stones	Chris Carter	Short Series; 3 episodes
2020	Bridgerton	Lord Featherington	Main role
2021–present	Professor T.	Jasper Tempest (Professor T.)	Main role
2021	Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness	Himself	Episode 3<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	All Star Musicals	Himself	Christmas special<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022	The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer	Himself	Series 5 episode 4; contestant & Star Baker<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Suspect	Richard
2023	No Place Like Home	Himself	1 episode<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024-present	Austin	Julian Hartswood	8 episodes

Filmmaking credits

Year	Title	Writer	Producer	Director	Notes
1995	Sardines	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:No	TV movie
1996	MindGym	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:No	Video game
1997-2001	Armstrong and Miller	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:No	27 episodes
2005	Starry Night	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Yes	Short film
2006	Saxondale	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Yes	Episode: "Pigeons"
2009-2010	The Armstrong and Miller Show	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:No	12 episodes
2010	Huge	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes
2011	Comedy Showcase	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No	Episode: "Felix & Murdo"
2015	Horrible Science	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No	10 episodes
2024	Austin	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:No	8 episodes

External links

• The Armstrong & Miller Show official website
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0587950

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• Template:British Comedy Guide
• Ben Miller hands out his very own BAFTAs