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Declan Bennett

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Declan Bennett
Born
Declan William Bennett

(1981-03-20) 20 March 1981 (age 43)
Coventry, West Midlands, England
Other namesSumladfromcov (2001–2006)
Occupations
  • Singer–songwriter
  • actor
Years active1996–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2024)​
Musical career
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
  • flute
Labels
Websitewww.declanbennett.co.uk

Declan William Bennett (born 20 March 1981) is an English singer-songwriter, actor and playwright. He gained prominence as a member of the band Point Break, before going on to be a solo musician. He is known on screen for his roles as Charlie Cotton in the soap opera EastEnders and Jonathan Roberts in the ITV series The Long Call.

Bennett is also a noted stage actor performing on Broadway in the musicals Rent and Moulin Rouge. He's also performed on various London stages in productions of Once in the original West End cast, Jesus Christ Superstar, Carousel, and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.

Early life and education

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Bennett was born in Coventry and has an older brother Kieran. Like his EastEnders character, Bennett is of Irish descent; his mother Rose is from Westmeath, and his paternal grandparents are from Dublin and Wexford. Bennett attended Christ the King Primary School in Coundon and then Cardinal Newman Catholic School and Community College.[1]

Career

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Early ventures

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As a teenager, Bennett performed with the Belgrade Youth Theatre and the Coventry Youth Operetta Group (YOG) Coventry, including appearances in Willy Russell's Our Day Out in September 1996,[2] and in Boy Band, which featured a number of his own compositions.[3] He also performed with the National Youth Music Theatre, in The Kissing-Dance 1999.[4]

Music

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In May 1999, Bennett was one of nine teenagers chosen to sing live on the ITV morning TV show This Morning in a feature that put together a boy band. Following his appearance, he was contacted in the studio by another band, Point Break, which featured Brett Adams and David 'Ollie' Oliver from UK children's TV programme Byker Grove, who were signed to Warner Music, and who were looking for a new member. The band released five singles, four of which made the UK top 20, and an album, which was number one in three countries in South east Asia, including Japan, and made the UK top 40. Bennett left the band in December 2000.[citation needed]

In January 2005, Bennett released his first solo album under the pseudonym "Sumladfromcov" entitled The Painters Ball on his own record label, Covboy Records. This was followed by a limited-edition EP, The Kitchen, in May 2006.[5]

Now performing as a singer-songwriter under his own name, Bennett released a five-track iTunes-only EP in March 2007 entitled 10 Nelson Road.[6] His second full-length album, An Innocent Evening Of Drinking, was released on 14 April 2008.[7] Therapy, an iTunes-only single packaged with two remixes – Olivia's Mix and New York Live Studio Mix – was released in the U.S. on 27 April 2009 and in the rest of the world on 23 March 2009.

On 31 January 2010, Bennett performed on the Grammy Awards with Green Day as a cast member of the rock opera American Idiot, which ran on Broadway from 20 April 2010 to 24 April 2011. Bennett was a member of the ensemble, understudying and performing the role of Will.

Bennett released the album record:BREAKUP on 25 April 2011 in New York. A live and acoustic version was released on Monday 19 August 2013.

Theatre

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In January 2002, Bennett was given the part of Guru Dazzle in Boy George's West End show Taboo, which received four Olivier Award nominations and he later took over one of the lead roles, Billy, playing alongside Matt Lucas, Boy George, and Julian Clary among others until the show closed in London in April 2003.[8]

Bennett also played the role of Billy in the UK tour of the show from December 2003 to 2004.[9][10]

In September 2006, Bennett took over the role of Roger Davis in the American national tour of Broadway rock opera Rent. He completed a nine-month tour of the United States from September 2006 to May 2007.[11] He reprised the role on Broadway from October 2007 until May 2008.[12]

In 2013, Bennett premiered the romantic lead Guy in the West End production of Once opposite Zrinka Cvitešić as Girl at the Phoenix Theatre in London.[13]

In March 2016, it was announced Bennett would star in the titular role of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Open Air Theatre Regents Park Open Air Theatre. He's reprised the role several times since then including in Tokyo, Japan in 2019 opposite Ramin Karimloo as Judas.

In 2019, he starred in The View UpStairs playing the role of Dale at the Soho Theatre, in London from 18 July to 24 August.[14]

In June 2021 it was announced Declan Bennett would be starring as Billy Bigelow in the Regents Park Open Air Theatre summer production of Carousel. This acclaimed show ran from 31 July 2021 to 25 September 2021.

Bennett created the one-man show Boy Out the City. It had its work-in-progress showcase in early 2021 before premiering the full thing at the Westival Music + Arts Festival in Westport, Ireland that 24 October, followed by a London premiere at the Turbine Theatre on 9 November.[15]

On 8 April 2022, it was announced Bennett would star as the Duke of Monroth in Moulin Rouge! on Broadway beginning on 10 May 2022, following Tam Mutu, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. He left the show in January 2023.

On 17 October 2024, it was announced Bennett would star as Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse beginning 7 December 2024.[16]

Television and film

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After a number of small film and television roles, on 22 January 2014, it was announced Bennett would join the cast of EastEnders as Charlie Cotton, the long-lost grandson of Dot Branning (June Brown). EastEnders executive producer, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, questioned whether Charlie (named after Charlie Cotton) would be "kind" like his grandmother or "evil" like his father Nick Cotton (John Altman). Bennett first appeared on 10 March 2014. In 2015, it was revealed Bennett would exit the series. During his time, he had married Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack), gotten in a car accident, had an affair with Ronnie's sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) and impersonated a cop.

On 5 April 2017, it was confirmed that Bennett would reprise his EastEnders role for the forthcoming season after months of speculation. His first episode back aired on 5 May 2017.[17]

Bennett starred opposite Ben Aldridge in the 2021 adaptation of The Long Call on ITV and BritBox.[18]

Personal life

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Bennett is gay.[19] He lived in New York City and London for a number of years before moving to rural Oxfordshire,[15] where he currently lives with his life partner, fellow actor and singer Fra Fee.[20] Bennett and Fee married on 15 November 2024.[citation needed]

Stage credits

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Year Title Role Theatre Location
2002-2003 Taboo Guru Dazzle Leicester Square Theatre Off-West End
2003-2004 Billy - UK Tour
2006-2007 Rent Roger Davis - US Tour
2007-2008 Nederlander Theatre Broadway
2009 American Idiot Ensemble

u/s Will
u/s Rock & Roll Boyfriend

Berkeley Repertory Theatre Berkeley, California
2010-2011 St. James Theatre Broadway
2013-2014 Once Guy Phoenix Theatre West End
2016 Jesus Christ Superstar Jesus Christ Regent's Park Open Air Theatre London
2017
2019 Tokyu Theatre Orb Tokyo
2021 Carousel Billy Bigelow Regent's Park Open Air Theatre London
2022-2023 Moulin Rouge! The Musical The Duke of Monroth Al Hirschfeld Theatre Broadway
2024-2025 Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Pierre Bezukhov Donmar Warehouse Off-West End

Discography

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With Point Break

Year Title Notes
1999 "Do We Rock" Warner Music, single.
1999 "Stand Tough" Warner Music, single.
2000 "Freaky Time" Warner Music, single.
2000 "You" Warner Music, single.
2000 Apocadelic Warner Music, album.
2000 "What About Us" Warner Music, single.

Solo releases

Year Title Notes
2005 The Painters Ball Covboy Records, album. Released under the name Sumladfromcov, ref COVBCD01, on 24 January 2005.
2006 The Kitchen Covboy Records, EP. Limited release under the name Sumladfromcov and sold at gigs and through the official website only.
2007 10 Nelson Road Covboy Records, EP. Download-only release through iTunes on 5 March 2007.
2008 An Innocent Evening of Drinking Covboy Records, album, ref COVBCD002. Released on 14 April 2008.
2009 "Therapy" Covboy Records, single. Download-only release through iTunes on 23 March 2009.
2011

2013

record:BREAKUP

record:BREAKUP live & unplugged

Covboy Records, album, ref COVBCD003. Released on 25 April 2011.

Covboy Records, album ref COVBCD007. Released on 16 August 2013

2013 "Father Christmas Knows" Covboy Records, single. Download-only release through bandcamp December 2013.
2018 Unsolicited Material:LA Covboy Records, EP. Released on 27 July 2018.

References

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  1. ^ Vonledebur, Catherine (31 January 2014). "Coventry actor-singer cast as Dot Cotton's grandson in Eastenders". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Willy Russell - Reviews of OUR DAY OUT the musical". 6 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 May 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. ^ Ruth Councell. "Belgrade Theatre press release – Boy Band – April 1999". Cwn.org.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  4. ^ "Kissing Text". 5 February 2007. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Queermusicheritage.us". Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  6. ^ "10 Nelson Road (Acoustic Version) – EP by Declan Bennett on iTunes". iTunes Store. 5 March 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  7. ^ "An Innocent Evening of Drinking by Declan Bennett on iTunes". iTunes Store. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  8. ^ "Albemarle - Archive". 26 September 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Article". Thelowry.com. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  10. ^ "Somerset – Taboo in Bath". BBC. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Bennett and Jay Are New Bohemians in Broadway's Rent Oct. 8". Playbill. 8 October 2007. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  12. ^ "Rodney Hicks Returns to 'Rent' with New-Comers Bennet & Jay". Broadwayworld.com. 2 April 1996. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  13. ^ "Declan Bennett and Zrinka Cvitešić to Star in West End Premiere of Once". Playbill. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  14. ^ "The View UpStairs". Sohotheatre.com.
  15. ^ a b "Declan Bennett Makes Writing Debut at Turbine Theatre With Boy Out The City". Theatre Weekly. 2 October 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  16. ^ Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 cast announced for London premiere
  17. ^ "EastEnders airs a surprise return for Charlie Cotton". Digital Spy. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  18. ^ McEvoy, Sophie (27 October 2021). "How Declan Bennet's Relationship Inspired His Latest Work". Bustle. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  19. ^ Jenson, Michael (30 April 2010). ""American Idiot"'s Declan Bennett is Neither American Nor an Idiot, Just Very Talented". Logo TV. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  20. ^ Ganatra, Shilpa (26 May 2022). "Fra Fee: 'I was completely terrified of coming out in Northern Ireland'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
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