His head was swollen and I can remember thinking ‘what have I done?’ The guilt was enormous. The left part of his skull sinks if he becomes dehydrated and he gets out of breath easily.
being made locally she entered Ben on the spur of the moment. “People always say ‘it’s Bob’ or ‘there’s that boy!’” laughs Jill. Jill, who has daughters Kirsty, Charlotte and Alexandra in their 20s, continued to beg for help. What does Ben, of Cannock, Staffs, make of his dramatic start to life? Ben Wilby played Bob in Nativity when he was 7 years old. Here is what you can and can't do under the new rules, BREAKING: Arizona election centre closing due to rising unrest from crowd 'armed with guns', Veep actually predicted the vote counting hypocrisy of Trump supporters in election, The popular satire show Veep had its own vote-counting drama in the fifth season - now those scenes are playing out in reality in Arizona and in the mid-west, Rishi Sunak to give furlough update later today 'extending 80% wages beyond December', The Chancellor will make a statement to the House of Commons on Thursday morning, National Guard deployed in Portland after disputed claims of 'widespread violence', Oregon Governor Kate Brown has ordered the National Guard into downtown Portland to help law enforcement as protests continue - though the decision has been called "hyperbole", Two million people vulnerable to Covid-19 in UK told to STAY OFF work and school, The 2.3 million “clinically extremely vulnerable” group includes some people living with cancer, organ donor recipients and people with severe lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis, Angry heckler claims Joe Biden is 'stealing' election as he storms press conference, An angry heckler burst into a conference suite where Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria was explaining the ballot counting process to reporters, repeating over and over: "The Biden crime family's stealing this election, the media's covering it up! Ben went on to star in all three Nativity films including Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! But winning the Wolverine state puts the White House well within reach, Furious Trump team 'called Rupert Murdoch moaning about Fox calling Arizona for Biden', The Fox News decision desk was the first outlet to project that Joe Biden would win the state of Arizona in the first 'flip' of the night from 2016 - Donald Trump and his surrogates were furious, Jill is seeking sponsorship to enable Ben to continue his education at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. “The vagus nerve which affects gross motor skills and balance had been damaged by constant pressure, which explains why his development was delayed.”. Cute Ben Wilby was just six when he first melted cinema audiences’ hearts with a lead role in the hit Nativity! 17 December 2018, 11:54 | Updated: 17 December 2018, 15:01. Thankfully, the surgery worked.”. At home with her newborn son, Jill couldn’t relax. As part of his physiotherapy, Jill was encouraged to enrol him in dance classes to improve his leg strength.
“I was convinced something was wrong, but the doctors insisted I was being an over-anxious mother.”. “He’d love to do period dramas but knows he wouldn’t be taken seriously,” explains Jill. Even before Ben’s birth, mum-of-four Jill was convinced of her baby’s talents. “If I placed him on his tummy, he couldn’t lift his head. Ben, 13 in January, is already a patron of two charities: Clowns in the Sky, for children with brain tumours, and StrokeInformation.
The films have transformed his life. But in surgery they found Ben had a rare condition called craniosynostosis – which causes the plates in the skull to fuse together too quickly after birth. Ben Wilby, Actor: Nativity!. Even more dramatic was the change in his personality. “The surgeon said the skull bones were so close to Ben’s brain that, if left any longer, he would have died,” Jill says. Ben Wilby was born on January 29, 2002 in Cannock, Staffordshire, England as Ben Christian Wilby. “When we were called for an audition I was terrified. It was clear his speech and sight were unharmed.”, After three weeks, the bandages were removed. Suddenly, he was holding his head up and thriving.”. Ben Wilby was born on January 29, 2002 in Cannock, Staffordshire, England as Ben Christian Wilby. But Ben was really excited and insisted on wearing his green lycra shorts, legwarmers and a Born to Dance T-shirt.”. Every Christmas we go back to the hospital to say a huge thank you,” Jill says. “Ben was left with a W -shaped scar across his skull – from one ear to the other. But his health problems were immediately apparent. “Suddenly he became this outgoing little character who loved to sing and dance.
Ben was diagnosed with reflex anoxic seizures – where he would stop breathing without warning. ", Joe Biden wins Michigan as victory over Donald Trump edges closer, We still don't know who has won the Presidential election - votes in are still being counted. Ben’s success is all down to his own hard work and ability.”. The child star, who plays Bob in the hit Christmas films, overcame a whole catalogue of health problems to succeed, Our free email newsletter sends you the biggest headlines from news, sport and showbiz. That’s what made it so magical. He would scream the place down if anyone came near him.”. He loved Strictly Come Dancing. Filming took place over the summer holidays so it didn’t disrupt his schoolwork. … “He was a very unhappy child and wouldn’t interact. But I know I’ve done the right thing. The 2009 film starring Martin Freeman, Pam Ferris and Alan Carr was a smash hit at the cinemas thanks to its catchy songs and adorable cast of primary school kids. But I knew there was something wrong. “He thinks it’s an honour. At 30 weeks, doctors fought to prevent Ben arriving early and he was finally delivered at 37 weeks, in January 2003, weighing 6lb 5oz. “I’d told Ben from an early age ‘you don’t brag and you don’t show off’”. That’s what kids do.”. But as the swelling reduced I could see a huge improvement. “They insisted it was purely a cosmetic procedure. “When I look at the baby photos and hear mum talking it makes me feel amazed I’ve gone through all that,” he says. At check-ups doctors insisted he was just a clumsy baby and prescribed a special helmet and supportive boots to encourage his balance. “When I saw him in recovery I hardly recognised him. “The nurse had to resuscitate him. You can unsubscribe at any time. Nativity defensive back Eric Muldowney intercepts a pass in front of teammate Bob Brish and a Schuylkill Haven receiver during the Hilltoppers’ 14-13 victory. But his proud mum, Jill, 48, deliberately kept his health problems quiet as he landed his big screen break. “Most of the speech and acting was improvised – so it’s very innocent and natural. Fia Tarrant Ben’s stunned family were warned he might not survive the 10-hour intricate operation. His family home is festooned with photos of Ben with celebrities from Barbara Windsor to David Tennant. “We all had to learn resuscitation and revive him so many times,” she says. “You can’t imagine him in Downton going ‘alright, am ya?’. He is an actor, known for, Nativity 2 Premiere Interviews: David Tennant, Jessica Hynes and more, Myers-Briggs Personalities of Fictional Characters, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, In Which Todd Accidentally Learns a Secret and Brent and Doug Get Closer to Further from the Truth, Todd and his Valet Arrive in Leeds and What They Saw There, Todd's Terrible Day Ends and His Next Terrible Day Begins, A Plan Is Hatched and a Date Is Not a Date, James Nesbitt, Fearne Cotton and Jimmy Carr. The film received widespread acclaim. See more of BoB from nativity what a legend on Facebook. Download 'Superstar' on iTunes, 17 December 2018, 11:54 | Updated: 17 December 2018, 15:01. For more information email jill1ben@sky.com.
“As soon as the music started he jumped off my lap and joined in. “The doctors are amazed at how well he’s done,” she says. “I had terrible empty nest syndrome to start with. He needed resuscitation and was rushed to special care. Dave Newton / …
Ben’s distinctive Black Country accent has been softened by vocal classes.
“He’d never acted so I made up some details on his application,” she confesses sheepishly. Now he's a grown up 16-year-old and looks totally different! Mum sparks debate after slamming Christmas Eve gift boxes, Internet left reeling over dad's tribute tattoos of his, Films fans challenged to name iconic rom coms in graphic, Phillip Schofield in heated debate with Minister after, woman is arrested for taking mum from care home.
Ben was snapped up by an agent and landed roles on TV and in advertisements – working with the likes of John Bishop and Cheryl Cole. film, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers, US Election results 2020 LIVE: Armed Trump supporters force election centre to close, An election centre in Maricopa County, Arizona has been forced to close after a protest outside by dozens of supporters of Donald Trump, Ex-Corrie star's mum arrested after trying to remove gran, 97, from care home, Leandra Ashton posted distressing footage of her retired nurse mum being handcuffed by officers, when she wanted to take her dementia-stricken mother home so she could be looked after by loved ones, Mum's rant about 'ridiculous' email from school divides fellow parents, A mum has criticised her daughter's school for sending out a 'ridiculous' message to parents saying they were only allowed to email teachers at specific times of the day, Aldi shopper's unbelievable panic-buying haul of rice and pasta mountain, Stuart Darben popped into his Aldi branch in Lincoln with his partner when he spotted the shopper at the tills with their conveyor belt overflowing with the food items, Bitter Donald Trump a liar and cheat to the end as US election slips from his grasp, The US President falsely claimed he had won the election early on and alleged that Democrats were attempting to 'steal' the election - but did not offer proof because there isn't any, Arizona election centre closing due to rising unrest from crowd 'armed with guns', We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story, Biden launches transition website vowing to unite America as he edges closer to a win, Former Vice President and Senator Joe Biden has called for patience as all votes are counted, in what would be a narrow victory over President Donald Trump, though a transition site is already live, UK's 'special relationship' with US uncertain as Biden edges closer to victory, Donald Trump has been a supporter of Brexit and a UK-US trade deal, but any Biden administration is expected to be cooler on the idea, Millionaire who body-slammed journalist and misled police elected governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte assaulted Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs in 2017 and pleaded guilty to misdemeanour assault - given a sentence of community service and anger management, Biden breaks Obama's 2008 record for most votes of any election candidate in history, With mail-in ballots still to be counted, Democrat Joe Biden has already smashed former President Barack Obama's 69.4 million votes record from 2008, with the former senator on course to edge out Donald Trump, Katie Price's public plea for help as her son Harvey weighs 28 and a half stone, Katie Price asked fans to help her acquire gym equipment for her son Harvey during lockdown as she shared her son weighs 28 stone and a half, Educating Greater Manchester school headteacher Drew Povey quit after suspension, Educating Greater Manchester school headteacher Drew Povey quit his job after he was suspended amid an investigation Harrop Fold School was "off-rolling", Teen sex worker says she sees up to 21 men a day with clients just minutes apart, Channel 5 show Adults Only is about to lift the lid on the sex trade as featured Ellie, 19, says she can earn up to £1,500 every night - and told how she can see men just two minutes apart, Dancing On Ice 'crisis' as lockdown leaves celebs 'unable to train for show', The second national lockdown has left Dancing On Ice's pro skaters and celebrities in a quandary as ice rinks are forced to close due to new government measures, Europa League odds, tips and betting analysis for Spurs, Celtic, Rangers & more, Europa League odds, tips and betting analysis as Spurs face Ludogorets, Arsenal entertain Molde and Leicester host Braga, while Celtic & Rangers are also in action, Paul Scholes names only Man Utd player he constantly had to tell how to attack, Manchester United fans may yearn for the old days after watching their side lose to Istanbul Basaksehir in embarrassing fashion but Paul Scholes has reminded them of one player that needed constant instructions, New lockdown restrictions in full - all the rules you need to know from today, Boris Johnson will put England into a second national lockdown from midnight tonight.