Ben Bailey Smith’s career began as a rapper, touring with Mark Ronson before going into stand-up comedy in 2007. He went on to make a name for himself as a stand-up comedian, touring internationally under the alias of Doc Brown, before diversifying into mainstream TV and film acting, screenwriting and children's picture books and novels, includingI am Bear (Walker) and Something I Said(Bloomsbury).
He is a long-standing collaborator with Ricky Gervais appearing in the Channel 4 ComedyDerekand the 2016 sketchEquality Street, which led to the feature film Life on the Road. Television credits include the slimy Empire Agent Blevin in the hit Disney+ Original Star Wars:Andor, Joe Gibson in Apple+’s Suspicion and regular roles in series such as Brief Encounters(ITV), Cleaning Up(ITV), The Split S2(BBC)and Britannia(Sky).
Film credits include James Corden’sCinderellaand Charles Musgrove in Netflix’s Persuasion opposite Dakota Johnson and Richard E.Grant. 2016 saw him host the BAFTA Britannia Awards in Beverly Hills in 2016 and in 2022 he performed an original piece of writing for the Queens Platinum Jubilee at Buckingham Palace.
Ben can also be seen starring in Channel 4 dark comedy dramaTruelove,ITVX’s hit comedy-dramaSignificant Otherand theBBC’s television adaptation of independent filmBoiling Pointand the BBC’s BAFTA winning true crime seriesThe Sixth Commandment. He most recently performed in Nassim Soleimanpour’sWhite Rabbit Red Rabbit, the internationally acclaimed play that sees an actor take to the stage with no rehearsal, no director, and a script waiting in a sealed envelope onstage.
Ben shall next be seen in Charlie Brooker’sBlack Mirroron Netflix, as well as new psychological thriller seriesLittle Disasters(Paramount +).
