Steven Bendelack
Areas of Interest
Alumni, MediaHonorary Award
Honorary Doctor of ArtsBiography
Steven Bendelack is a BAFTA-winning film and television director, and celebrated Anglia Ruskin alumnus.
After graduating in Graphics and Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art, Steven began his professional career working on the satirical TV show, Spitting Image.
Initially employed as an illustrator, creating caricatures for the celebrity puppets, he worked closely with the show’s co-founders - and fellow CSA alumni - Roger Law and Peter Fluck. And this gave Steven the opportunity not only to hone his creative skills, but to study the art of directing.
Steven was to take over the role of Director at Spitting Image, and went on to direct a variety of shows for the BBC, including: Peter and the Wolf, in 1993; the satirical sketch show The Saturday Night Armistice in 1994; and Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 1996.
Steven also directed the BBC’s ground-breaking Fist of Fun, which was the first multi-platform show to use the internet as part of its makeup.
1999 was a particularly busy year for Steven. He worked on a French and Saunders Easter Special, ITV’s The Royle Family, and series one of The League of Gentlemen.
In 2001, Steven directed the Channel 4 comedy Turn the World Down. In 2002, he worked on The League of Gentlemen series 3. And in 2003 and 2004, he worked with David Walliams and Matt Lucas, directing the pilot and first series of the ground-breaking Little Britain.
More recently, Steven has directed the BBC comedy sketch show, Cowards, and the first series of Friday Night Dinner.
He has also worked widely in film, directing Mr. Bean’s Holiday, The Harry Hill Movie, and The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse.
Steven’s crowded awards cabinet includes three BAFTAs for The League Of Gentlemen, The Royle Family and Little Britain.
He has won a Gold Medal at the New York Film and TV Festival - for the drama Ted and Alice, plus two Golden Rose of Montreux Awards.
Steven has won numerous Royal Television Society Awards. An NME Best Television Programme Award – for The League Of Gentlemen, Series 2. And an International Emmy Award for Performing Arts, for his 1993 production of Peter and the Wolf.
In addition to his high-profile work in TV and film, Steven has also enjoyed a successful parallel career in television advertising. He shot his first TV commercial for Cadbury’s Crème Eggs, creating the now-famous “How do you eat yours?” advert in the unique Spitting Image style. And this quickly brought him to the attention of London’s leading creative agencies, paving the way for a series of TV commercials for a great many high-value brands.
Throughout his career, Steven has continued the CSA’s exceptionally strong tradition in graphic humour and satire, and he demonstrates the enormous drive, talent, creativity and determination required to excel at the highest level.
Steven's graduation
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