Ben Richards

Ben Richards (born 27 March 1972 in West Sussex, England) is a British stage and television actor and dancer. Richards studied dance from an early age and later took part in theatre. He gained supporting roles in London's West End and gradually filled the role of the lead. After small roles in two films, Richards began his television career with guest roles in various British serials. In 2004, he joined the regular cast of the ITV drama Footballers' Wives and after the series ended he resumed theatre work. Richards went on to secure roles in Holby City and The Bill. While working on the latter, Richards said that he would always pursue his career in theatre. After leaving the series he returned to theatre work. In 2015, he joined the cast of the soap opera Hollyoaks and finished filming the following year. He then returned to stage roles in the West End. Richards has also starred in many pantomimes including Beauty and the Beast, playing the Beast, at the Royal Theatre, Nottingham, in 2017. Career Richards began dancing aged seven and later attended the dance college Laine Theatre Arts. He later began appearing in a number of theatre productions in London's West End. He appeared in supporting roles in the productions of Radio Times, Up on the Roof, Hot Mikado and Smokey Joe's Cafe. In 1993, he was playing Terry Johnson in Grease, with music direction by Mike Dixon. In 1998, he secured his first lead role playing Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever. He later returned to the West End production of Grease, this time playing the lead character Danny Zuko. Richards made his film debut in the 1997 movie Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis and in 1999 secured a role in Julie and the Cadillacs. Guest roles followed in the BBC television series' Doctors and Holby City. In 2002 he played Jerry in The Full Monty and, in the following year, played the Dentist in the Little Shop of Horrors. In 2004, Richards joined the cast of ITV's Footballers' Wives in the role of Bruno Milligan. He also appeared in the ITV2 spin-off Footballers' Wives: Extra Time. In early 2006, it was announced that Richards had joined the cast of Holby City playing a new character, Justin Fuller, remaining in the series for four months. Richards then played Sky Masterson in the UK tour of Guys and Dolls in 2006. That year Richards became a judge on the second series of Strictly Dance Fever.