Who is Lenny Rush, the 15-year-old Children in Need presenter?
Lenny Rush, who holds the record as the youngest presenter for BBC's Children in Need program, is back in that role tonight for an action-filled evening of entertainment and raising funds.
The 15-year-old actor has appeared in Doctor Who and the comedy series Am I Being Unreasonable? by Daisy May Cooper, which earned him a BAFTA award in 2023.
He made his debut on the 2022 BBC Children in Need special in a comedic sketch that parodied The Office. In this skit, he took on the role of a supervisor managing a call center filled with unruly celebrities such as Peter Andre, Mo Farah, Jonathan Bailey (who had just finished his role as a romantic lead in Bridgerton), and the unpredictable Mr Blobby.
In 2023, he became part of the hosting team for the charity event. "I'm honored and excited to be the first young presenter for Children in Need," he shared with the BBC. This year, he is back among the presenters, which include Ade Adepitan, Mel Giedroyc, Rochelle Humes, Vernon Kay, and Chris Ramsey.
His initial appearance on screen came in 2017 when he featured in the CBeebies documentary "Our Family." After that, he took on roles in CBeebies' "Apple Tree House" and in "The Dumping Ground" on CBBC.
Rush is included in the lineup of presenters for BBC Children in Need.
He played the role of Tiny Tim in the stage productions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at London's Old Vic in 2017 and 2018. He later reprised this character in a televised adaptation directed by Steven Knight in 2019.
After landing a regular role as The Sweeper in the BBC series Dodger, which stars Christopher Eccleston, his character was developed further, leading to the creation of Morgon. The show earned a BAFTA award in 2022. Additionally, he made a small appearance as a newspaper boy in the Netflix film Enola Holmes 2.
Rush appeared in the award-winning show Dodger, which secured a Basta award.
His most recognized part was portraying Ollie alongside Daisy May Cooper in her 2022 series, Am I Being Unreasonable? Rush received high accolades for his acting and improvisational talent, earning a BAFTA for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Program. Additionally, he won both the Breakthrough Award and the Best Comedy Performance (Male) at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards.
He also appeared alongside Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor in the 14th season of the popular series that was released earlier this year. Initially, he lent his voice to the character Eric in the Doctor Who episode titled Space Babies. Following that, he landed the role of Morris Gibbons, who serves as a scientific advisor for UNIT, the military organization within the show's universe.
He received a Bafta for his performance in Am I Being Unreasonable?
Rush has a rare bone growth condition known as spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, which causes dwarfism. He spent the initial four months of his life in the hospital. As an actor, he actively supports disability rights and emphasizes the importance of representation in movies and TV shows.
"Whether someone has a disability or not, I believe everyone has something to contribute," he shared on Good Morning Britain. "It's important for individuals with disabilities to have the same chances as everyone else, and there’s no reason for them not to."
