BBC EastEnders’ Ben Mitchell star unrecognisable 13 years after leaving soap

EastEnders' child star Charlie Jones, who played Ben Mitchell from 2006 to 2010, is now unrecognisable 13 years after leaving the BBC soap.

The actor, who was one of six actors who have portrayed the iconic character, took on some heavy hitting storylines during his time on the show.

Most fans now associate heartthrob Max Bowden with the role, as he has played Ben for the past three years. However, the character was initially portrayed by Matthew Silver when he was introduced in 1996.

Charlie's portrayal of Ben included a devastating child abuse plot and the 'death' of his mum Kathy Beale before she was revealed to still be alive. He was mentally and physically abused by Phil's girlfriend Stella Crawford in a truly harrowing storyline.

Ben, played by Charlie, lost control by attacking a bully and burning his sister's arm, which saw him serve eight months in prison which was when he was recast as Joshua Pasco. He was instantly recognisable for his iconic specs, and carried the character of Ben through some of his school years.

Aged 13, Charlie left the soap and continued to forge his path in the world of acting. But now he looks nothing like he used to, having ditched his glasses for a more rugged look.

The 27 year old heartthrob now sports a striking ginger beard and it's clear he's been spending plenty of time in the gym recently.

After studying at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Charlie has landed roles in a variety of shows and films, including teen drama Noughts + Crosses and Netflix film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story alongside Hugh Bonneville.

He's happily in a relationship with his famous girlfriend Flora London, who is best known for her role in Endeavour as Bridget Mulcahy in 2020.

The couple have even appeared in the same show, McDonald and Dodds, with Charlie playing DC Samuel Goldie and Flora portraying an unnamed character.

They've been together for six years and often share cute photos with their fans on social media.

In one sweet snap, Flora can be seen wearing a white dress with her blonde hair framing her face as she snuggles up to her boyfriend.

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI engine, which speeds up OK!'s editorial research and applies it to article templates created by journalists in our newsrooms. An OK! editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]

    Source: Read Full Article