- Ben Miller
Ben Miller, (born 1966) is an English
comedian , director andactor .Biography
Miller was born in
London ,England and grew up inNantwich ,Cheshire . [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20040307/ai_n12751087 HOW WE MET: Sarah Alexander & Ben Miller] Independent on Sunday - March 7, 2004] His father, Michael Miller, was a lecturer inAmerican Literature atBirmingham City University , and his mother Marion taught English atSouth Cheshire College . He has two younger sisters, Leah and Bronwen.He was educated at
Malbank School , his local comprehensive school inNantwich , and then atSt Catharine's College, Cambridge where he studiedNatural Sciences . He remained at Cambridge to study for aPhD inquantum physics , entitled: "novel quantum effects in quasi-zero dimensional mesoscopic electron systems." [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/10_october/12/armstrong_biog.shtml The Armstrong & Miller Show - Armstrong and Miller] BBC Press Office - 12 October 2007]Career
While studying for his thesis, a friend offered Miller £10 a day to ferry around some judges for an arts festival. [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21317809-5003420,00.html Ben dazzles 'em] news.com.au - March 04, 2007] He consequently met his collaboration comedy partner, fellow Cambridge student Alexander Armstrong, at
TBA Sketch Comedy Group , a comedy club which ran at theGate Theatre Studio ,Notting Hill throughout the 1990s. They performed their first full-length show at theEdinburgh Fringe in 1994 and returned in 1996, when they were nominated for thePerrier Comedy Award . [http://www.cult.tv/index.php?cm_id=942&cm_type=article Star of Primeval and The Armstrong and Miller Show] cult.tv]Their success resulted in the commissioning of the television series "
Armstrong and Miller ", which ran for four series in total throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s; one on theParamount Comedy Channel and three onChannel Four . The duo had their own radio show with the same name onBBC 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 forHattrick Productions asThe Armstrong and Miller Show , and ran onBBC1 in Autumn 2007.In 2001 he starred in
Steve Coogan 's first feature film, the British comedy "The Parole Officer ." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/reviews/1484336.stm Coogan's out on Parole] BBC News - 10 August 2001] In 2003 he played the role of 'Bough', sidekick to Rowan Atkinson's titular 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 theBBC television series "The Worst Week of My Life ," [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20051221/ai_n15942439 The 5-Minute Interview: Ben Miller] The Independent - December 21, 2005] alongsideSarah Alexander , followed in 2006 by a three-partChristmas special, "The Worst Christmas of My Life". In 2007 he starred as James Lester in ITV's sci-fi drama "Primeval," and theAustralia n film "" as Mr Jonathan.Until 2007, Miller provided the voice for the
ITV Digital and nowPG Tips Monkey, in a popular series of television adverts featuringJohnny Vegas . [ [http://www.unilever.co.uk/ourcompany/newsandmedia/pressreleases/2007/Al_and_monkey_magic.asp Al and monkey bring back the monkey magic] Unilever Press Dept]He has recently begun working behind the camera and directed the
television pilot -- which subsequently became the first episode -- ofSteve Coogan 's 2006 BritishBBC TV Comedy series "Saxondale ".In 2004, Miller guest-starred alongside
Martin Clunes in the second series of "Doc Martin " as a park ranger with an obsessive imaginary friend.In 2008 he appeared on three
ITV1 series, astelevision producer Jonathan Pope inTony Jordan 's series "Moving Wallpaper ", reprising his role as Lester in "Primeval", and also starred in Thank God You're Here on12 January 2008 .On the 3rd episode of Lily Allen & Friends, Miller said that Armstrong & Miller is coming back Spring 2009 for a new series.
Personal life
While at Cambridge, he acted with and dated
Rachel Weisz . [ [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=351124&in_page_id=1773 Rachel's Weisz guy] Mail on Sunday - 5th June 2005] He is now married toBelinda Stewart-Wilson (who is set to guest star alongside Miller in Series 3 of "Primeval "). A talented musician, Miller plays theguitar and drums, and likesyoga . Miller was best man to Alexander Armstrong in 2004, but let slip in an interview that during the stag event inTaunton ,Somerset the group iced cakes, and describe the weekend as "utterly bizarre, probably the most effeminate stag do in history." [ [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/special_reports/m2002/s/146/146169_life_is_sweet_for_alex.html Life is sweet for Alex] Manchester Evening News - 14 February 2005] At St. Catharine's, he played in a band called the Dear Johns, with Andy Edwards and Eoin Patterson. They released one 7" single, entitled "Shame".Awards
Miller was awarded a Judge's Commendation for his portrayal of
Hamlet at the 1990National Student Drama Festival .Ben co-wrote "MindGym ", winner of the first BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Award for comedy in 1998, with Tim Wright andAdam Gee .elected Filmography
*2000 -
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble - Johnny Two Dogs, alongsideRay Winstone andRobert Carlyle
*2001 -The Parole Officer , Colin - ASteve Coogan project
*2003 -Johnny English - Bough, English's Sidekick, alongsideRowan Atkinson
*2004 -The Prince and Me - Soren, alongsideJulia Stiles andLuke Mably
*2007 - - Mr. JonathonReferences
External links
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.