Ben Miller is most well known as being one half of comedy duo Armstrong and Miller and for starring in Death in Paradise. He's also featured in Professor T, Johnny English, Bridgerton, The Catherine Tate Show, Doctor Who and Paddington, and Primeval.
Now Ben is starring in the new BBC One comedy Austin, which he co-created. Ben plays Julian, a bestselling children's writer whose career is in crisis following a social media storm. He faces further turmoil when the autistic son he never knew existed turns up. Julian is at first hesitant to accept the eccentric but charming 28-year-old Austin Hogan (played by neurodivergent actor Michael Theo) into his life.
Ben tells us: "We saw Michael in an Australian reality show about dating called Love on the Spectrum. He was brilliant in it and that was the germ of the idea. We got in touch and it turned out he'd always wanted to be an actor, so that's where Austin came from."
But there's a lot you might not know about Ben. From his education history to why he thinks social media is a waste of time, scroll down to find out everything you need to know about the British actor.
1. He studied quantum physics at University.
Before he became an actor, Ben Miller was studying quantum physics and was even halfway through a PhD in the subject. In an interview with "Physics World", Ben said,"...once I got to degree level, I found it fascinating. To be able to spend three years just learning about physics was an absolute joy for me."
He met Alexander Armstrong at university and decided to drop his PhD and focus on drama instead.
2. He spent years performing in pubs and comedy clubs.
Before making it big on TV, Ben Miller and Alexander Armstrong performed in underground pubs and comedy clubs. They eventually performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1994 and returned in 1996, when they were nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award.
3. He provided the voice for the PG Tips Monkey.
Ben Miller starred alongside comedian Johnny Vegas in a number of PG Tips adverts, featuring conversations between Vegas and a toy monkey (voiced by Miller). The monkey actually became very popular and guest starred on Comic Relief, The Brit Awards and in 2003 he had his own variety show called Watch with Monkey. However, the pilot episode was never aired.
4. He has written a number of children's books.
As well as acting, Ben has also written a huge number of children's books, including "Diary of a Big Bad Wolf: Your favourite fairytales from a BIG BAD point of view!", and "The Boy Who Made the World Disappear".
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Ben spoke about reading his own stories to his children. He said: "They’ll immediately tell you: that’s not right, nobody would say that. And they’re honest: if they get bored, they’re up and off. Seriously, if you want to know if what you are doing is any good, read it to a seven-year-old."
5. He describes himself as a 'gadget fiend.'
Ben Miller loves the latest technology, and in an interview with The Guardian, he confessed to being a "gadget fiend" rather than a technophobe. He said he was: "Hopelessly tech-addicted and a chronic early adopter. I’ll never forget being in Brazil on my dream holiday when Apple announced the first iPhone. I was so excited, I genuinely considered flying home."
6. He doesn't like social media.
In the same Guardian interview, Ben revealed he's not a fan of social media. He said: "It’s a waste of time. I was an early adopter of everything from Myspace to Twitter and I think they’re just fads, like CB radio."
Despite this, he's still a fan of the latest gadgets and frequently uses smartphone apps such as Shazam and apps that easily book tickets. And he does occasionally use Twitter and Instagram!
7. His full name is Bennet.
Ben is usually short for "Benjamin", but his full name is actually Bennet Evan Miller. Professionally he simply goes by the name Ben Miller which always appears on credits, bylines, and anything else he's involved in. He hasn't spoken about his full name, or where the inspiration for it came from.
Ben Miller's Fact File.
How old is he?
Ben Miller is 59 years old. He was born on February 24, 1966.
Where was he born?
Ben was born in London, England.
Is he married?
Yes Ben is married to Jessica Parker. The couple got married in 2013.
Does he have children?
Yes, Ben has three children. Sonny with ex-spouse Belinda Stewart-Wilson, who played Polly in The Inbetweeners. And Harrison and Lana with Jessica.
How tall is he?
Ben is 5ft 7 inches.
Instagram: @actualbenmiller
Twitter: @actualbenmiller
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
