Sebastian Croft: Heartstopper, Game of Thrones and What to Watch

Sebastian Croft, known to friends and fans as Bash, is an English actor and singer born in Oxford on 16 December 2001. He spent his childhood on stage, moved into television as a teenager and became widely recognised for Netflix's Heartstopper. In October 2026 he reached a far bigger audience by winning The Celebrity Traitors. This guide covers his career so far and where to start watching.

Early life and stage beginnings

Croft grew up in Oxford and attended the Dragon School, where he played the lead in Oliver! He later studied at St Edward's School. His first name comes from Sebastian Flyte, a character in Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited.

His professional career began in the theatre. He made his West End debut in the 2010 production of Oliver!, directed by Sam Mendes. The following year he joined the cast of Les Misérables, playing the street urchin Gavroche. Early training and stage work gave him a grounding that shows in his screen performances.

Game of Thrones and early screen work

Croft's television debut came in 2016, when he played the young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones. The role was brief, but it put him on a global show at the age of 14. The same year he appeared in Penny Dreadful, and he later made a guest appearance in the superhero series Doom Patrol.

His first feature film was The Hippopotamus (2017), adapted from Stephen Fry's novel, in which he played a younger version of the lead character. He followed it with small parts in films such as I'll Find You.

Horrible Histories and the BAFTA nomination

His first lead role on screen was Atti in Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans (2019). It earned him a BAFTA Children's Award nomination, and it showed he could carry a comedy as well as a period drama.

Heartstopper and the breakout

Croft is best known for playing Ben Hope in Heartstopper, Netflix's adaptation of Alice Oseman's graphic novel. Ben is a closeted school bully who makes life hard for Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor). Croft played him in the first two seasons.

The part could easily have been a one-note villain. Croft gave Ben a defensiveness and a sense of fear that made his behaviour understandable without excusing it. For many viewers, it is still the first performance that comes to mind.

Films and voice work

After Heartstopper he moved into a mix of genres. His film credits include:

• Get Away (2024): a horror comedy in which he appears alongside Nick Frost and Aisling Bea.
• How to Date Billy Walsh (2024): a teen romantic comedy, in which he plays Archibald Arnold.
• Wonderwell (2023): a fantasy drama with Carrie Fisher and Rita Ora in the cast.
• Dampyr (2022): a horror-fantasy film based on an Italian comic.
• Where Is Anne Frank (2021): Ari Folman's animated film, in which Croft voices Peter. It premiered at Cannes.

He has also done voice work for the animated anthology Love, Death & Robots and the video Game Hogwarts Legacy.

The Celebrity Traitors

The second series of The Celebrity Traitors began on BBC One on 1 October 2026, with Claudia Winkleman presenting. Croft, then 24, entered as a Faithful. He stayed under the radar for much of the run and was never exposed as a Traitor, because he wasn't one.

In the finale, at the end of October 2026, he and comedian Romesh Ranganathan were the last two Faithfuls standing. They voted out James Blunt, who had pushed for another banishment, and shared a prize pot of £83,000. Croft chose to donate his half to the charity Choose Love.

The win was unusual in that both winners were Faithfuls. It also introduced him to viewers who had never seen Heartstopper.

Music

Croft has also begun a music career. He released his debut single, Tokyo, in November 2025, followed by Better than ever in March 2026. Both were released independently. Music is a newer string to his bow, but it fits a performer who started out in musical theatre.

What to watch

1. Heartstopper (seasons one and two): the obvious starting point and his most rounded performance.
2. Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans: a lively family comedy that earned him his nomination.
3. Where Is Anne Frank: a thoughtful animated drama, and a good showcase for his voice acting.
4. Get Away: a darker, funnier turn if you want to see him in horror.
5. The Celebrity Traitors series 2: a lighter way to see his personality, and the finale rewards patience.

Where his career stands

Croft is still young, and his career has already covered the West End, prestige television, teen drama, horror and animation. The Celebrity Traitors has raised his profile in Britain, and his music is a sign he wants to keep widening his range. He has said he would be keen to take on a queer romance in future, which would be a natural counterpoint to Ben Hope. For now, Heartstopper remains the best place to start.