Ben Freeman
Encyclopedia
Benedict "Ben" Freeman (born 8 April 1980) is an English television actor, best known for his part in ITV
's Emmerdale
as Scott Windsor
.
, who played Jessica Harris
in the soap.
It was reported on Sunday 6 December 2009 that Ben and Jennifer Biddall
had got engaged after enjoying a whirlwind 8 month romance.
On 10 September 2010 Ben married Jennifer Biddall
at The Manor House Hotel
, Castle Combe. Guests at the wedding included Kelvin Fletcher
(Emmerdale), Kieron Norfield and cast members from Dreamboats and Petticoats
.
in Maidenhead. Freeman's first role was playing Chris Longworth in children's school soap Grange Hill
.
After leaving Grange Hill, when Emmerdale decided to recast the character of Scott Windsor from incumbent Toby Cockerell
in 1998, Freeman won the role of the womanising car mechanic Scott.
island of Barbados
. Freeman, his stepfather and other members of his family had been staying at the Almond Beach Village resort, where the girl was also staying.
The alleged incident took place on the night of Wednesday 29 November, at a pool-side sun lounger at the resort that both parties were staying at. Freeman left the Almond Beach Village the next day, while the 16-year-old girl stayed on until she and her family returned to the UK on Sunday 3 December.
confiscated and was released to his lawyer on payment of $20,000 Barbadian dollars (£5,000) bail. In a subsequent hearing on 6 December, his passport was returned by the judge and he was free to leave the country, subject to agreeing to return for the formal hearing on 15 March 2007 and payment of bail at $100,000 Barbados dollars (£26,000).
In mid-March Freeman appeared in court to deny raping a schoolgirl in Barbados. He admits they had sex but says she consented.
In December 2007, an ITV spokesperson confirmed that Freeman would not be renewing his contract for practical reasons, as it expired at the end of 2007. The ITV spokesperson said: “Due to the uncertainty of the process of law and the lead times in writing a character in and out of a soap we cannot be sure of Ben’s availability for work, so we cannot renew his contract at this stage." According to the website, Freeman would like to talk to ITV about a contract renewal, after this situation is over.
Freeman's QC Anesta Weekes said the girl "panicked" when she realised "it was all going to come out in the photographs" and "made that dreadful choice to lie to please her parents who had beaten her up".
The actor said:
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
as Scott Windsor
Scott Windsor
Scott Windsor is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale.From 1993-1996, Scott Windsor was played by Toby Cockerell...
.
Personal life
As of May 2009 Ben has recently been linked to former Hollyoaks actress Jennifer BiddallJennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall is an English actress who played the part of Jessica Harris in Hollyoaks from 2005 to 2008.She was born in Bath, Somerset and grew up in Corsham, Wiltshire. Before studying at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, she travelled around the Greek islands...
, who played Jessica Harris
Jessica Harris
Jessica Florida Harris is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jennifer Biddall. She debuted on-screen during episodes airing in October 2005. Biddal decided to leave the serial in 2007, Jessica last appeared in 2008 and Biddall has since admitted she...
in the soap.
It was reported on Sunday 6 December 2009 that Ben and Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall is an English actress who played the part of Jessica Harris in Hollyoaks from 2005 to 2008.She was born in Bath, Somerset and grew up in Corsham, Wiltshire. Before studying at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, she travelled around the Greek islands...
had got engaged after enjoying a whirlwind 8 month romance.
On 10 September 2010 Ben married Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall
Jennifer Biddall is an English actress who played the part of Jessica Harris in Hollyoaks from 2005 to 2008.She was born in Bath, Somerset and grew up in Corsham, Wiltshire. Before studying at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, she travelled around the Greek islands...
at The Manor House Hotel
Manor House Hotel
Manor House Hotel is a 14th century country house hotel in Castle Combe, Wiltshire in the south of England.-History:The Manor House is noteworthy for several reasons throughout history...
, Castle Combe. Guests at the wedding included Kelvin Fletcher
Kelvin Fletcher
Kelvin Warren Fletcher is an English actor and model who has played Andy Sugden in the long-running television soap opera Emmerdale since 1996....
(Emmerdale), Kieron Norfield and cast members from Dreamboats and Petticoats
Dreamboats and Petticoats
Dreamboats and Petticoats is a jukebox musical based on popular songs from the fifties and early sixties. The musical, featuring those songs of the rock 'n' roll era, is set around the years 1957 to 1963 and was written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran....
.
Biography
The eldest of five siblings (three younger sisters and a younger brother), living in Slough, Berkshire, Freeman went to St. Bernard's Convent School (now St. Bernard's Catholic Grammar School). While at school Freeman took a part-time acting course over a school half-term holiday and was spotted by an agent, who signed him up. Freeman also trained at Redroofs Theatre SchoolRedroofs Theatre School
Redroofs Theatre School is an independent theatre training school in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.The school was established in 1947 in London and moved to Littlewick Green in 1964 into a house that was once the home of Ivor Novello. The school currently has two bases in Maidenhead, and two...
in Maidenhead. Freeman's first role was playing Chris Longworth in children's school soap Grange Hill
Grange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
.
After leaving Grange Hill, when Emmerdale decided to recast the character of Scott Windsor from incumbent Toby Cockerell
Toby Cockerell
Toby Cockerell is an English actor who played the part of Scott Windsor in ITV's Emmerdale from 1993–1996.-External links:...
in 1998, Freeman won the role of the womanising car mechanic Scott.
Incident
On 3 December 2006, the British Foreign Office confirmed that Freeman had been charged with raping a British 16 year old girl, while on holiday on the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. Freeman, his stepfather and other members of his family had been staying at the Almond Beach Village resort, where the girl was also staying.
The alleged incident took place on the night of Wednesday 29 November, at a pool-side sun lounger at the resort that both parties were staying at. Freeman left the Almond Beach Village the next day, while the 16-year-old girl stayed on until she and her family returned to the UK on Sunday 3 December.
Trial
Freeman was initially ordered to stay on the island until the case was over, had his passportPassport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
confiscated and was released to his lawyer on payment of $20,000 Barbadian dollars (£5,000) bail. In a subsequent hearing on 6 December, his passport was returned by the judge and he was free to leave the country, subject to agreeing to return for the formal hearing on 15 March 2007 and payment of bail at $100,000 Barbados dollars (£26,000).
In mid-March Freeman appeared in court to deny raping a schoolgirl in Barbados. He admits they had sex but says she consented.
In December 2007, an ITV spokesperson confirmed that Freeman would not be renewing his contract for practical reasons, as it expired at the end of 2007. The ITV spokesperson said: “Due to the uncertainty of the process of law and the lead times in writing a character in and out of a soap we cannot be sure of Ben’s availability for work, so we cannot renew his contract at this stage." According to the website, Freeman would like to talk to ITV about a contract renewal, after this situation is over.
Not guilty verdict
Freeman was found not guilty of rape on 17 October 2008. The jury took 90 minutes to reach a unanimous not guilty verdict. Freeman bowed his head slightly as the verdict was returned, but in the public gallery, his friends and family shouted "yes" while others cried. His sister Laura, girlfriend Sophie Ladds, and godmother Susie Duguid followed him out of the court in tears. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also started crying once Mr Freeman left the court.Freeman's QC Anesta Weekes said the girl "panicked" when she realised "it was all going to come out in the photographs" and "made that dreadful choice to lie to please her parents who had beaten her up".
The actor said:
"I'm grateful to be vindicated by the jury's verdict and am looking forward to spending time with my family and close friends who have been enormously supportive to me over the past two years."
External links
- 2003 interview at emmerdale.org