There’s something inherently familiar about Daniel Roche. Even though that distinctive mop of curly brown hair is now accompanied by a beard, and he’s inevitably much taller and broader than the character that made him famous, an unavoidable essence of Ben Brockman remains. That same cheeky smile and engaging persona. That playful curiosity.
Fifteen years after he first appeared on our screens as the unruly, seven-year-old middle child in Outnumbered, much has changed for Roche. As an integral part of the popular family sitcom that aired on BBC One for five series, between 2007 and 2014, he grew up in the public eye. When the show ended in 2016, with a Christmas special, he was 17 and had already taken a step back from acting.
After focusing on his education, rugby and regaining a sense of normality, Roche is gradually returning to his old acting passion. Six years on from the show’s finale, the 23-year-old reflects on the joys and challenges of being a child star and how it feels to still be recognised as “the kid off Outnumbered”.
VICE: Hi Daniel. So, where did your interest in acting come from?
Daniel Roche: It was kind of accidental. I went to one of those Saturday morning dance, drama and singing classes because a close family friend was going. I got scouted there, did my first job when I was six and just loved it. If I didn’t want to do something, I didn’t do it; the whole journey was very much led by me. My parents had no stake in the industry at all, they were just along for the ride.
What was the audition process like for Outnumbered?
I’d done a couple of ads and an episode of Casualty by that point and I remember this audition was very different. In line with what the show was going to become, it was very laid-back. We were given situations like: ‘Argue why you should be allowed to stay up’. I took to that, I’ve always been very argumentative.
How closely aligned was your personality to Ben’s?
For the most part, it really was me - especially in those earlier seasons. Obviously, we drifted a bit as we got older. I had his argumentative side and his inquisitive nature, but I think I’m better socially than he is – maybe. There were certain dynamics inserted into the show for theatrical purposes, like the lying. I never really had a phase like that, I wasn’t quite as naughty.
What was the atmosphere on set?
It was great fun. Part of the genius of creators Andy [Hamilton] and Guy [Jenkin] was they were challenging that classic Hollywood trope of not working with kids. They were producing a sitcom with kitchen sink realism based around children and to do that, you have to create a really unpressured environment. You want stability and consistency so that kids feel comfortable enough to bring out their natural selves. Through all those seasons, they made so much effort to retain the crew and seeing the same faces behind the camera was a big deal for us. The show had a real family vibe to it.
There was always a lot of buzz over the semi-improvised nature of the dialogue - how did that actually work?
Improv was a big part of the show, which meant there wasn’t as much pressure on us to learn the script. This made us a lot more relaxed. I’d always have a conversation with Andy before we filmed and go through the lines a few times; that tended to do the job. There were big sections of the script allocated to improvising scenes like 'having an argument’, so we’d brainstorm some ideas together. As for the scripted parts, we were kids playing kids, so if we deviated slightly it had a positive effect most of the time. They made a lot of room for that.
Did you get along with the show’s other child actors, Ramona Marquez and Tyger Drew-Honey?
Yeah, we always had a lot of fun. We’d get into little squabbles occasionally, but never anything serious. We were taken out of school for two months at a time and tutored together between scenes, so we spent a lot of time together. It’s weird to appreciate the value of it, because I can’t imagine it not being like that. I’m sure it would have been a very different experience had I not been around two people similar to my age.
Have you stayed in touch?
I see them probably once a year, at least. Tyger and Ramona still act, mostly on stage, so when they have a play I make sure to see it. We meet up and go out for a meal – stuff like that. Our parents probably talk more regularly than we do though; they bonded while chaperoning us on set everyday.
How about your on-screen parents, played by Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner - what were they like?
They were both really laid-back and naturally funny; Hugh Dennis is just like he is on Mock the Week and Outnumbered. They were parents off-screen, so they knew how to deal with kids. We don’t speak to them as much now, but we’re still on good terms.
What was it like seeing yourself on TV? How did your friends and family react?
I don’t think I appreciated the gravity of it, even as the show got successful, until years later. It first happened when I was at primary school, but I don’t remember anyone making a fuss. Both my parents made a real effort to keep me grounded; if they were ever starstruck, they did a good job of hiding it. They worked in journalism, so I don’t think they were blown away by celeb culture.
Did being famous affect how people treated you at school?
It’s hard to say, because I never really knew an alternative. I went to a private secondary school in Camden, where I didn’t know anyone, because Hugh had been there. It soon became apparent that being in Outnumbered was going to be the biggest thing about me for a while. But because I’m quite sporty and social, it got old and people stopped caring. Although if I got mobbed on the street, the jokes would blow up again. At university, there was definitely a more consistent impact because you’re always running into new people. I was known as ‘the kid off Outnumbered’ outside my friend group.
Did you ever enjoy the attention?
Well, way before Outnumbered, I remember getting recognised for being in a Kingsmill advert. So, by the time I got to secondary school it had been happening for years. It wasn’t something that I loved, and it was an obstacle at times, but I’d still indulge the person because why wouldn’t you? It’s usually just people being nice to you. It always felt neither positive nor negative; sometimes my friends get quite annoyed, but I don’t. It happens at festivals a lot.
Did your feelings about Outnumbered, and your desire to be in it, change as you grew older?
No, it was just always a thing for me to go back to. I was happy and excited for every season, but when it finally ended, it felt right. Other sitcoms have proved you need a cut-off point and I think Andy and Guy were good with that.
Have you watched it back as an adult?
No, I’m not a big fan of watching myself. I’ll probably do it once - just to see. My parents used to watch it all the time when I lived with them in London though, which was a nightmare. I was constantly hearing my own childhood voice on repeat.
Do you have any regrets about being in Outnumbered?
I’m very lucky, it’s done nothing but help me, really, and I owe so much of my life to it. Although one downside is it makes you set quite a high standard for yourself. When you’ve achieved so much at such a young age, falling short of that can feel like a failure. But even though it sets an unhealthy standard, I think that just drives me.
Why did you take a break from acting?
There’s a real lull for actors across the board in that pre-teen age. Especially me, because I was a big pre-teen! I was around 5’9’’ and a good 70kgs from the age of 12 and I only got bigger. By that point, I wasn’t going to get any work playing a child. In the meantime, rugby really started taking off for me; I got scouted and I ended up in the Wasps academy. This was the same time that GCSEs were happening, then A-levels, then university, so acting was always going to have to take a backseat for a while. We told my agent to not actively put me out there for jobs.
What’s happened since then?
During university, my agent retired, so I have to get a new one now. I haven’t had to go through that process before, because she scouted me. Right now, I’m doing all the work I can without an agent, mostly short films. I’m basically on the final stage of putting together a showreel that’s a bit more modern. These short films allow me to do some more serious work and push beyond what I was previously limited to. Plus, they’re a nice way for me to get comfortable in the acting world again.
You’re obviously proud to have been in the show, but is there a sense of having to escape being Ben from Outnumbered to be taken seriously as an adult actor?
There is going to be an element of that, of course, but I did other projects around that time too, even if it wasn’t on the same scale. My acting CV shows I’ve worked with people as impressive as Caroline Quentin, Stephen Fry, Roy Hudd, Lily James and Harry Melling. That’s why I’m so adamant that, even though it’s tough, I have to give it a try. I’m coming from a real position of privilege and opportunity compared to most young actors, in an industry with a surplus of talent. People might immediately associate me with Ben, but at least they’re thinking of me as something.
Are you still recognised as Ben? How does it feel?
The hair makes all the difference, honestly. From the age of 14, up until 21, I got into the habit of cutting my hair shorter and shorter. Then, I eventually got a mate to shave it all off. As soon as it got slightly curly, I’d get him to do it again. In those years, I got noticed a lot less. When Covid happened, I let it grow out and since then it’s been mad: I get recognised every time I go out. I was caught by surprise at first, because I got so comfortable with not having to deal with it. I wear a hat sometimes, but it’s fine.
What are your ambitions as an actor?
I just want to get back into the swing of it, really. I’m not saying I want to be standing on stage with an Oscar for best actor. Ultimately, you want to spend your life doing what you enjoy and I’ve always enjoyed acting. That’s basically it. I realise that it’s a very tough industry, but it’d be silly not to give it another go and see where it takes me.