Ben Williams (Family Affairs)

Ben Williams was a fictional character in UK soap opera Family Affairs, played by Adam Rhys Dee from early 2005 until the end of the series in December that year.

About Ben

Ben first arrived in Charnham in January 2005, shortly after serving four years imprisonment for manslaughter. Ben had accidentally drowned Luke Pellow, a boy who had been bullying his twin brother, Alex after holding his head under water until he stopped breathing. It was a tense time for Ben and his family as Ben was the subject of local gossip.

Ben later settled into the area, albeit with a little difficulty.

Further Dramas

On the Weekend of their 18th birthday, Ben and Alex took a car their father, Conrad had bought for them for a drive. The twins had an argument about the last few years and Ben's inability to reconnect with the family. Ben goaded Alex about being a wimp and a loser. Alex then punched Ben. Later that day, the twins were involved in a car crash with Denise Boulter and Graham Harker, thanks to Ben grabbing the steering wheel from his brother.

It looked as if Ben could be returned to the young offender's institute after this, but Alex decided to take the blame for the accident and escaped with a suspended license.

Ben later found work with Justin MacKenzie at his father's building firm, MacKenzie and Sons.

Revelation

When Gay couple Max Lawson and Sami Shafiq purchased Dusty's store from Yasmin Green and moved into the area, Ben wasn't too keen on them. Ben was accused of being homophobic due to his lack of remorse for a botched building job he had done on the shop and frequent comments he had made. Ben even went as far to punch Sami one night at a house party. When backed into a corner by Max, Ben revealed that he had a non-physical, homosexual relationship with another boy while in the Young Offender's Institute.

Final Storylines

Ben did not feature very often toward the end of series. Soon after Alex left to live with their mother Ella and sister Ania in Los Angeles and Conrad left for Fiji with his lover, nurse Tanya Woods, Ben moved in with his boss Justin and his half-brother Marc. Ben helped renovate the recently burned out Black Swan pub which was later renamed the Phoenix. Later it was revealed that Ben was Gay and in the closet. He had a brief affair with a boy from the area.

Family

• Father: Conrad Williams
• Mother: Ella Williams
• Brother: Alex Williams
• Sisters: Katie Williams, Ania Williams