Former EastEnders star Joshua Pascoe, best known for playing Ben Mitchell from 2010 to 2012, has launched a new career on the adult subscription platform OnlyFans, where he offers fantasy role play as his iconic character. The 28-year-old actor told the Daily Star that the venture has been surprisingly successful, with fans specifically requesting content that channels the sinister side of Ben Mitchell.
From Walford to OnlyFans
Pascoe, who was axed from the soap at age 16, initially struggled to find acting work and eventually turned to the building industry. 'After EastEnders, the acting slowly dried up and I went to work on a building site instead,' he said. 'Then my friends suggested I start the adult work and within the first month I was in double figures.' He now balances his nine-to-five job with creating content for OnlyFans, where he has discovered a niche audience for Ben Mitchell-themed roleplay.
The Ben Mitchell Fantasy
According to Pascoe, a video of him wearing glasses reminiscent of his character went viral, leading to a flood of requests. 'I put a video up of me in my glasses and it went crazy… I won't even repeat some of what people have said. It's amazing how many people have said Ben Mitchell is a fantasy… it sounds so strange to say, but people like it,' he told the Daily Star. He also noted the surprising variety of kinks he's encountered: 'There are so many different kinks and since starting this, I've realised I'm not as vanilla as I thought.'
A History of Ben Mitchells
Ben Mitchell, the son of hardman Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), has been portrayed by multiple actors over the years. Charlie Jones originated the role as a Lady Gaga-obsessed child. Pascoe then took over, bringing a darker edge after Ben's time in a young offenders' institution, culminating in the accidental killing of beloved character Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison). Harry Reid later played a closeted Ben who eventually came out, and Max Bowden portrayed the adult, villainous version. While Jones (now Charlie Chambers), Reid, and Bowden remain in acting, Pascoe has chosen a different path.
Reactions and Comparisons
Pascoe is not the first soap star to join OnlyFans; former Hollyoaks stars James Sutton and Sarah Jayne Dunn, as well as fellow EastEnders alum Danniella Westbrook, have accounts. However, Pascoe has fully embraced the platform's reputation for explicit content. He expressed surprise at the positive response: 'I've just got a normal job, I'm a normal bloke. I've got a nine to five, Monday to Friday. I'm humble – there's nothing flashy or lairy about me, I hope. I'm just a normal guy, but people have been really interested, which has baffled me.' He added, 'I never ever thought, I never ever imagined that it would take off the way it has done. And I couldn't be happier.'
