Lenny Rush Explained

Lenny Rush
Birth Date:18 March 2009
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:2017–present
Notable Works:

Lenny Rush (born 18 March 2009) is a British child actor. He is best known for his work on the Daisy May Cooper comedy drama series Am I Being Unreasonable?, on the BBC One series Dodger and the CBBC drama The Dumping Ground. He won a breakthrough award at the 2023 National Comedy Awards, and won the Breakthrough Award and Best Comedy Performance (Male) at the 2023 Royal Television Society Programme Awards.

Early life

Born to Steve and Lisa Rush,[1] Lenny is from Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. He has a medical condition called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita which affects his growth, resulting in dwarfism.[2] [3]

Career

Rush first appeared on camera on the CBeebies documentary Our Family. He began acting locally at the Pauline Quirke Academy in Essex. He played roles on CBeebies series Apple Tree House and CBBC's The Dumping Ground and had played Tiny Tim in versions of A Christmas Carol both on stage at The Old Vic in London in 2017 and 2018, and on-screen in a Steven Knight televised retelling of the Charles Dickens classic in 2019.[4] [5]

Rush was given a series regular role in the comedy drama Dodger alongside Christopher Eccleston. Initially a small role called The Sweeper, the part was expanded for Rush and given the character name Morgan.[6] Rush also had the role of Ollie in Daisy May Cooper’s BBC One comedy Am I Being Unreasonable?, in which he was able to improvise as well as perform lines.[7] He received praise for his performance in the show, with Lucy Mangan writing in The Guardian, “What a gift they have in Rush, who has the comic chops and emotional range of an actor twice his age, and the kind of chemistry with Cooper that is an absolute joy to watch."[8]

He also made a notable appearance on BBC One charity money-raising show Children In Need in 2022.[9] Rush won the Breakthrough Award, and Comedy Performance (Male) Award, for Am I Being Unreasonable? at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in March 2023.[10]

In June 2023, it was announced that Rush would portray Morris Gibbons, UNIT's new scientific advisor, in the fourteenth series of Doctor Who,[11] after having been initially cast as the voice of Eric in "Space Babies" before being offered the larger role.[12] [13]

In October 2023, it was announced that Rush would become the first-ever child presenter at the age of 14 to co-host the 2023 Children in Need appeal.[14]

In November 2023 Rush was the winner of Taskmaster New Year’s Treat 2024.[15]

Accolades

Rush was voted Best Breakthrough at the I Talk Telly Awards in December 2022.[16] It was announced in January 2023 that he would receive a breakthrough award at the 2023 National Comedy Awards.[17] On 29 March 2023, he won two awards at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards: the Breakthrough Award, and Best Comedy Performance (Male).[18] [19] In May 2023, he won the BAFTA for Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for his work on Am I Being Unreasonable?

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018–2019Apple Tree HouseEli4 episodes
2019A Christmas CarolTiny TimMiniseries
2020Old Vic on Camera: A Christmas CarolTiny Tim
2021–2022The Dumping GroundMurphy 7 episodes
2021–2023DodgerMorgan/The SweeperRecurring role
2022Enola Holmes 2Newspaper boyFilm
2022–presentAm I Being Unreasonable?OllieLead role (6 episodes)
2023Best InterestsGeorge1 episode
"background:#FFFFCC;" Haunting of the Queen MaryLukas CaulderFilm
Children in NeedHimselfPresenter
2024Doctor WhoMorris Gibbons2 episodes; "The Legend of Ruby Sunday" and "Empire of Death"
TaskmasterHimself New Years Special

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lenny Rush Parents- Meet Dad Steve Rush And Mother Lisa Rush. Thefamilynation.com.
  2. News: Dodger star Lenny Rush explains why it’s so good for mums of disabled kids to see him on screen. Amin. Megna. 25 November 2022. Metro.
  3. Web site: Ormiston Rivers Academy student stars in hit BBC show. Ormiston Academies Trust.
  4. Web site: Scene Stealer: Child actor Lenny Rush’s rise to fame. BBC.co.uk.
  5. Web site: Lenny, 10, is the star of the show this Christmas. Southend Echo.
  6. Web site: I TALK TO Lenny Rush. Italktelly.com.
  7. Web site: Dodger star Lenny Rush says children’s TV is "so important" at Christmas. Radio Times.
  8. Web site: Am I Being Unreasonable? review – Daisy May Cooper is absurdly brilliant. The Guardian.
  9. Web site: Lenny Rush comedy skit impressed Children In Need viewers. Maldon Standard.
  10. Web site: Kate Winslet, Kit Connor, Billie Piper in the Mix at Royal Television Society Program Awards Nominations. 7 March 2023. Naman. Ramachandran. Variety. 7 March 2023.
  11. News: Jeffery . Morgan. Doctor Who casts BAFTA winner Lenny Rush as new character Morris. Radio Times. 15 June 2023.
  12. Web site: BBC iPlayer - Doctor Who: Unleashed - Season 1: 1. Space Babies . BBC . BBC . 11 May 2024.
  13. Web site: Doctor Who guest star Lenny Rush was originally cast in a different role . 2024-05-13 . Radio Times . en-GB.
  14. News: Cormack . Morgan . Doctor Who star Lenny Rush joins Children in Need presenting line-up . Radio Times. 18 October 2023.
  15. Web site: Taskmaster confirms line-up for celebrity special. Digital Spy. 24 November 2023. George. Lewis. 23 November 2023.
  16. Web site: I Talk Telly Awards – Winners Announced. Beyond The Joke.
  17. Web site: National Comedy Awards 2023 shortlists revealed. Chortle.
  18. Web site: Max. Goldbart. Deadline Hollywood. 29 March 2023. 30 March 2023. Kate Winslet Scoops Big Acting Prize At RTS Awards.
  19. Web site: Alex. Ritman. Kit Connor, Kate Winslet Among Winners of Royal Television Society Program Awards. The Hollywood Reporter. 29 March 2023. 30 March 2023.