Leading actor and alumnus Ray Fearon named as the new President of Rose Bruford College

Ray Fearon is appointed President of Rose Bruford College.

We’re delighted to announce that acclaimed actor from stage and screen Ray Fearon will be our incoming President of Rose Bruford College. 

An alumnus of Rose Bruford College, Ray Fearon has received critical acclaim for many of his performances on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and he is also an Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Ray was awarded the prestigious Carlton Hobbs Radio Award and the George Benson Award for his portrayal of Othello at the National Theatre while still a student at Rose Bruford College.

Ray’s diverse on-screen acting credits include films Barbie, Beauty and the Beast, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Hamlet, and his wide-ranging TV roles include His Dark Materials, Fleabag, Da Vinci’s Demons and Coronation Street.

Ray Fearon said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be asked to become the President of Rose Bruford College and champion and inspire our next generation of students. With all the changes and cuts to the arts and its funding in education, I felt it was important for me to be involved and help where I can. I’ve always mentored students and young performers from various institutions, like the National Youth Theatre and the Next Generation Project for the Royal Shakespeare Company. It felt right to be able to return to Rose Bruford College, where I had a fabulous three years’ training to become an actor, to continue to help young performers.”

Professor Randall Whittaker, Principal and CEO at Rose Bruford College, looks forward to collaborating with Ray during his tenure as President of the College. He said: “Ray will bring tremendous energy, experience and expertise to the role of President of Rose Bruford College. It’s wonderful to welcome back another illustrious member of our alumni to the role of President to inspire and champion the next generation of creative arts talent. Ray’s many achievements in his career to date embody the power of the performing arts to make a positive impact on the world.”

The role of President is an ambassadorial and ceremonial role to promote the College regionally, nationally and internationally and to support us in our mission to shape artistic expression, innovation and excellence.

Ray Fearon will be officially installed as the new President of Rose Bruford College at a ceremony in October 2024, following the end of alumna Bernardine Evaristo’s four-year term as the current President of the College. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Bernardine Evaristo OBE for her dedication to Rose Bruford College during her tenure as President of the College.