Ben grew up in Bristol and after a stint with the National Youth Theatre; he graduated from the Guildford School of Acting with a first class honours degree and the Principles Prize for Musical Theatre.
He made his professional debut playing ‘Alan-A-Dale’ in ROBIN HOOD AND THE BABES IN THE WOOD at the Watford Palace Theatre. Ben then went on to play ‘Roger The Cabin Boy’ alongside Barry Humphries in NEW EDNA, THE SPECTACLE, which after a short tour played at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End.
His other West Credits include ‘Eugene’ in GREASE at the Cambridge; ‘Victor Saville’ in OVER MY SHOULDER – THE JESSIE MATTHEW STORY at the Wyndhams (as well as Jermyn Street, Sonning and on tour!), an ‘Inventor’ in CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG! at the Palladium ‘Lord Braggard’ in JUNGLE RUMBLE at The Fortune and ‘Merlin’ in MAGICAL MERLIN at The Fortune and St Martin’s.
On tour Ben played ‘Lumiere’ in DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, 'Noël Coward' in NOËL AND GERTIE, ‘Dan’ (and the alternate Joseph) in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, ‘Teddy Shapiro’ in SOPHIE TUCKERS ONE NIGHT STAND, 'Glenn Miller' in BUGLE BOY and appeared in the Tom Lehrer revue TOMFOOLERY and the musical revue of The Sherman Brothers A SPOONFUL OF SHERMAN.
Other London work includes ‘Noël Coward’ in NOËL AND GERTIE (The Cockpit) ‘Grover Emerson’ in G AND I – GOING INTO BATTLE WITH GERTRUDE LAWRENCE with Anita Harris and Brenda Longman at the New End Theatre Hampstead, ‘Cora’s Boy’ in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (Savoy Theatre, Cardiff International Festival and BBC Radio 2), ‘Louis Lamanteur’ in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (Lost Musicals), ‘Wilberforce’ in FOLLOW THAT GIRL (Theatre Museum), ‘PC Boot’ in SALAD DAYS (Greenwich), Ethel Mermen's pianist in MERMAN'S APPRENTICE, 'Nespulos' in GAYS THE WORD (Jermyn St), 'Big Tim Sullivan' in RAGS (Lyric) and a tap-dancing ‘Al Capone’ Ray Cooney’s musical TIME’S UP!
Ben has also worked in many regional theatres. His roles include 'Cornelius Hackl’ in HELLO DOLLY, ‘Herbie’ in GYPSY, ‘Raymond’ in A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL, ‘Ash’ in SHERLOCK HOLMES: A STUDY IN LIPSTICK, KETCHUP AND BLOOD, ‘Shop Assistant’ and ‘Art Restorer’ in SINGLE SPIES and ‘Cecil Graham’ in LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN (Pitlochry), ‘Mr Ames’ in A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL (Salisbury), A CHRISTMAS CAROL and THE LADY IN THE VAN (Windsor), 'Cosme' in GLORIOUS, COLE, TOMFOOLERY and ‘Charley’ in CHARLEY’S AUNT (Frinton) ‘Kenneth’ in FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS and Victor Saville in OVER MY SHOULDER (Sonning), ‘Royce’ in MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL (Edinburgh Fringe), ‘The Duck’ in ALICE IN WONDERLAND (West Yorkshire Playhouse), ‘Geoffrey’ in STEPPING OUT, ‘Morris’ in FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME, Gracie Fields pianist 'Harry Parr Davies' in OUR GRACIE (Oldham Coliseum), ‘Chantelle’ in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (English Theater, Frankfurt) and ANNIE (Perth).
Ben's visits to ‘panto-land’ include ‘Ugly Sister’ in CINDERELLA for QDOS/CrossRoads alongside The Krankies and Stefan Dennis at the Wolverhampton Grand, Jimmy Osmond in Hastings, Lesley Joseph in High Wycombe, Billy Pearce, Lynda Bellingham and Brendan Sheerin in Bradford, Bradley Walsh in Dartford, Julian Clary in Wolverhampton, John Partridge and Sid Sloane in Northampton, Linda Robson, Louie Spence and Bobby Davro in High Wycombe, and Brian Conley and Gok Wan in both Milton Keynes and Bristol and again with Brian in Plymouth, Southend, Woking and Milton Keynes. He then played ‘Dame Betty Bouffant’ in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Richmond Theatre alongside Maureen Lipman - a role he will repeat in Bromley with Su Pollard in 2025. Other trips to ‘Pantoland’ include roles in PUSS IN BOOTS (Oxford Playhouse) and CINDERELLA for the London Bubble at The Cochran. In 2018 Ben, along with his ‘Sister’ Neal Wright, won Best Ugly Sister at The Great British Pantomime Awards.
Ben is a regular Music Hall performer and has appeared regularly with the Players Theatre, City Varieties, Hiss and Boo, The British Music Hall Society and The Paper Moon Theatre Company in London and around the country.
As musical director Ben’s credits include A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL (Salisbury Playhouse), Caroline Sheen’s album RAISE THE CURTAIN and Stephen De Martin’s album THE BOY NEXT DOOR (SimG Records), A SPOONFUL OF SHERMAN (UK tour), Ivor Novello’s GAYS THE WORD (Finborough, Jermyn Street and TER Records), OLIVER (Frinton), DOROTHY SQUIRES; MRS ROGER MOORE (White Bear and Edinburgh), BABY and BYE BYE BIRDIE (Guildford School of Acting) DAVID BENSON'S CHRISTMAS PARTY (Salisbury Playhouse), OVER MY SHOULDER (West End, Sonning and Tour and TER Records), SALAD DAYS (Greenwich), HISS AND BOO (Tour), ZIPPERTYDOODAH! (Wimbledon Studio), THE GAME OF LOVE and CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC (QE2), IT’S OUR MUSICAL WORLD (Concordia), FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE (Roundhouse) and MOTHER GOOSE (Chorleywood). He was the vocal arranger of the opening to the 2019 OLIVIER AWARDS at The Royal Albert Hall and shown on ITV1 and for the 2018 and 2019 UK THEATRE AWARDS.
Ben made his directing debut in 2016 at Frinton Summer Theatre with I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE and this was followed by ME AND MY GIRL in 2019 and TELL ME ON A SUNDAY in 2021. He directed the premier of ELTON JOHN:IT’S A LITTLE BIT FUNNY by Chris Burgess which has toured the UK. Ben also directed Jessica Martin’s one woman show UNDER THE LIGHTS, CLUE in Sidmouth, Rosemary Ashe’s play about Dora Bryan ADORABLE DORA and was assistant director on the Hope Mill Theatre and UK Tour Of Jerry Herman’s MAME. He co-devised and directed four shows sailing the world on the CUNARD fleet - SWING!, A TALE OF TWO CITIES, THE GREAT BRITISH SONGBOOK and THABK YOU FOR THE MOVIES.
On Radio Ben has been as regular ‘Showbiz’ reporter for BBC Radio Bristol, sung on BBC Radio 2’s FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT, appeared in THE SEARCH FOR RURITANIA on BBC Radio 4 and as part of a Sondheim Celebration, also for BBC Radio 4.
Ben has led sing-a-longs at WEST END LIVE for anything up to 20,000 people!
His one man cabaret show AND THERE WAS MUSIC debuted at The Pheasantry in London before completing a sold-out run at The Crazy Coqs, at various venues across the UK and also in Malaysia. In 2015 Ben released his first solo album on the SimG Records label entitled AND THERE WAS MUSIC (also available on iTunes!). His second show THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE ran at The Crazy Coqs in January 2017. In 2018 he returned to The Pheasantry with a new show TAKING STOCK. He made his New York cabaret debut at 54 BELOW. He has also performed his cabarets on the QM2 for Cunard. His show COWARD AND CRACKERS toured the UK and he was invited by The Noël Coward Society to perform a new show honouring The Master’s birthday. His second solo album BEN STOCK SINGS NOËL COWARD was recently released.
Ben is also in demand as an interviewer for charity and corporate events. He has recently interviewed stars such as Dame Maureen Lipman, Bobby Crush, Lesley Joseph and Marti Webb.
Ben is a proud member of Equity, The Concert Artistes Association (CAA), The British Music Hall Society, TACT, The Theatrical Guild and the Actors Benevolent Fund (ABF) and is President of his amateur dramatics company St Mary’s Players in Bristol where he began his love of theatre. He is also an ambassador for ACTING FOR OTHERS.