Hot Shots 2025: Benjamin Shallcross

Over the past year, Benjamin Shallcross’s freelance work has taken him from gold mining in the Yukon to embedding with Border Force agents in Puerto Rico and travelling through America’s Deep South, often in high-pressure, hostile environments.

As field producer on series 15 of Raw TV’s Gold Rush and AP on Netflix docs The Puppet Master, American Nightmare and Sweet Bobby, he’s shown stamina and drive as he jumps between locations, genres and storytelling styles.

Shallcross first took work experience at BBC Wales on Crimewatch. After graduating from the Edinburgh TV Festival’s Network Scheme, he cut his teeth in live TV at QVC before joining Raw as a runner.

Executive producer Rebecca North notes that Shallcross was initially booked for two weeks on Sweet Bobby but proved indispensable and stayed on for six months.

She says he offers a unique combination of visual flair, technical know-how across social media production, storytelling prowess and sharp attention to detail in legal and compliance.

“Things might be more competitive than ever, but Ben keeps pushing – he’s someone who throws himself into each new brief with curiosity and care, and he thrives when given the space to take ownership and solve problems on the fly,” says North.

“He navigates challenging topics with sensitivity and insight, earning the respect and trust of peers and contributors alike.”