If you are off to the cinema this weekend don’t miss ex- Hurtwood student Ben Radcliffe starring in ‘Fackham Hall’ the new spoof Downton Abbey blockbuster. Co-written by presenter and comedian Jimmy Carr and directed by Jim O’ Hanlon, the film has a spectacular star-studded cast film including Damien Lewis, Harry Potter star Tom Felton, Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin and Jimmy Carr himself. 

In the film Ben plays ‘loveable pickpocket Eric Noone’ as he lands a job at an English manor house. Bleecker Street describes the film, "A spoof that crosses Downton Abbey with Airplane! and Monty Python’. According to ‘The Express’ the trailer for the picture has achieved over 8 million views since its launch which makes it the most watched trailer ever for the production company Bleecker Street. The reviews are universally positive for the film with the Financial Times recommending it as ‘a raunchier alternative in panto season’. 

Ben’s route to success has been a short and dynamic one. Ten years he was starring in Hurtwood's production of 'Grease', when he was spotted by talent agents in our audience and he has been working ever since most notably in 'Anatomy of a Scandal' and alongside Austin Butler in Steven Spielberg's 'Masters of the Air'. Other credits include ‘The Evermoor Chronicles', 'The Lodge' and the Science Fiction series 'Pandora'. 

Ben is one of a huge number of our ex-students working in the film and television industry. Where will Joe and the rest of the cast of 'Pippin’ be in a few years’ time?