Jefferson Parlett

From a very early age, I dedicated myself to pursuing a career in the performing arts. In 2022, I starred in the short film I Know Something Happened – directed, produced and written by Cutting It and Emmerdale star Sian Reeves – which won the Special Jury Award in Direction at the first season of the Casablanca Film Factory Awards later that year. 2023 saw me making my television debut, taking on the younger incarnation of Mark Williams’ titular role in BBC's Father Brown – and shortly after offered the part of The Butcher in this year's latest series of the long-running crime drama. As a series regular, I recently returned to the set of continuing medical drama Doctors, also for the BBC, to play the Care Home Assistant.

Other work last year included an appearance as the Floor Manger in the second series of BBC Studios and BritBox's Sister Boniface Mysteries, and a limited run as Captain Davey in my own pantomime company, All Aboard Theatre's, original production of Robinson Croeso for the local communities in Staffordshire (for which I also served as the
Musical Director and Sound Designer).

As a presenter, I was invited to perform alongside and present awards to some of the UK's biggest pop groups at the 2001 and 2002 Disney Channel Kids Awards ceremonies. Over a decade later, I went on to produce and co-present my self-penned radio show The Jeff Parlett and Benny Bright Show on Blast Radio, broadcasting from the legendary Ealing Studios from 2012 to 2015. Between 2020 and 2021, I was a Presenter and Music Researcher for the music-based game shows Rock and Roll Bingo, Bingo Beats and Bonkers Bingo with entertainment provider Live Business for Mecca Bingo.

So... where did it all begin? In 1999, I joined my local Stagecoach Theatre Arts School and played a diverse range of roles in productions from Little Shop of Horrors to devised plays. This sparked my fascination in becoming an avid improviser, which led me into facilitating my own improvisation group during my professional training.
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I moved to Guildford in 2012 to develop my craft further at the Performance Preparation Academy, before continuing to study Musical Theatre at the London College of Music where I achieved a BA (Hons) in 2015.
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I have recently graduated from Staffordshire University, having won a place on the world’s first year-long Masters degree in Contemporary Pantomime Practice, and becoming one of the first people to achieve the award... "Oh yes I did"!