Ben Ockrent

Ben Ockrent is an award-winning writer and director for theatre, film, television and radio.

In the US, he’s currently developing a new scripted comedy for Lionsgate / Sacha Baron Cohen’s 4 x 2 and another for BBC Worldwide. In the UK, he’s developing a new scripted comedy with Martin Freeman’s Dancing Ledge, a feature film for Nick Frost and a new stage musical for the Young Vic Theatre.

Previous TV work in the UK includes The Secrets (BBC1); Youngers (E4); Joe Mistry (ITV2 pilot); Waterloo Road (BBC1) and Material Girl (BBC1). Other non-broadcast commissioned work includes Genius (Tiger Aspect); Khoa San Road (BBC3) and Kidnapped (BBC3). In the US, he’s sold comedy pilots to FX and TV Land and a drama pilot to Paramount Studios / Anonymous Content.

Previous theatre work includes More Than Words (Neal Street/Fiery Angel); Hacktivists (National Theatre Connections); Breeders (St. James Theatre, Planet London Award for Best New Play); Provenance (Manhattan Theatre Club performed reading); Carrot (Latitude Festival), The Pleasure Principle (Tristan Bates Theatre) and Honey, which was nominated for an Olivier Award as a part of the Tricycle Theatre’s season, Afghanistan: The Great Game (which toured the US, including a one-off performance in the Pentagon).

For the radio, he’s currently writing a new drama for BBC Radio 4. Other radio plays include Cordite For Breakfast (BBC Radio 4); Vital Statistics (BBC Radio 4) and Honey (BBC Radio 3).

Ben has also directed some of the world’s most celebrated actors in his own short films. His first, Dust, starring Alan Rickman and the new Dr Who, Jodie Whittaker, was long- listed for the BAFTA for Best Short Film and nominated for a National Film Award for Best Short Film. His second, Edmund the Magnificent, was financed by Creative England / BFI, stars David Bradley (Game of Thrones, Harry Potter) and Sir Ian McKellen and was also long-listed for the BAFTA.