Declan Bennett

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.

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.

Like his EastEnders character, Bennett is of Irish descent; his mother Rose is from Westmeath, and his paternal grandparents are from Dublin and Wexford.

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.

[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.

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.

[9][10] In September 2006, Bennett took over the role of Roger Davis in the American national tour of Broadway rock opera Rent.

[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.

[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.

[16] 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).