{{Short description|Australian-born Irish talent agent (1971–2025)}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Julian Benson | image = | caption = | birth_name = Julian Benson | birth_date = {{birth date|1971|2|26|df=y}} | birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|4|19|1971|2|26|df=y}} | death_place = Dublin, Ireland | occupation = {{Hlist|Talent agent|dancer|choreographer|Dancing with the Stars judge}} | years_active = 1983–2025 }}
'''Julian Benson''' (26 February 1971 – 19 April 2025) was an Australian-born Irish talent agent, choreographer who was known for his role as a judge on the RTÉ One series, ''Dancing with the Stars.''
==Early life== Julian Benson was born in Adelaide, Australia where he did his formative dance training. He and his family moved to Ireland when Julian was twelve years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/dancing-with-the-stars-julian-benson-on-how-not-even-cf-could-stop-him-from-dancing-37649515.html|title=Dancing With The Stars' Julian Benson on how not even CF could stop him from dancing|website=Independent.ie|date=29 December 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref>
==Professional dance career== Benson studied in University College Dublin obtaining a degree in English, Irish and Psychology, before studying for two years in Paris. He would eventually become the Head of Dance in Trinity College Dublin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://celticrising.com/julian-benson/|title=Julian Benson – Creator/Director|website=Celtic Rising The Show; JBM; Julian Benson Management|language=en|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref>
As a choreographer, Benson produced many productions including The Nutcracker with the Scottish Ballet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4284115&tpl=archnews&force=1|title=Julian Benson Knows 'The A-Z of Getting An Agent', Seminar 13th August {{!}} The Irish Film & Television Network|website=www.iftn.ie|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref>
==Talent agency== Benson ran Julian Benson Management, a talent agency for television presenters and actors. Some of his clients included Boyzone member Mikey Graham, Fair City actors Maclean Burke and Donna Anita Nikolaisen, and television presenter Eoghan McDermott, whom Benson regarded as one of his best friends.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://julianbensonmanagement.com/artists/?page_id=1103|title=JBM » Eoghan McDermot|website=julianbensonmanagement.com|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BgwrFf5HFiN/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BgwrFf5HFiN |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Eoghan McDermott on Instagram: "On Friday night one of my best friends and great mentors told the nation that he has been battling cystic fibrosis since he was a kid. He…"|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=2019-02-21}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
==Media career== From 2017 until 2020, Benson was a judge on the Irish version of ''Dancing with the Stars'' for RTÉ One alongside Loraine Barry and Brian Redmond.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2016/1218/839779-judges-announced-for-rtes-dancing-with-the-stars/ | title=Judges announced for RTÉ's Dancing with the Stars | date=3 January 2017 | publisher=RTE | accessdate=18 October 2019 }}</ref> In 2020, Benson left the panel and was replaced by Arthur Gourounlian.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/entertainment/dancing-with-the-stars-judge-julian-to-miss-shows-due-to-illness-905023.html|title=Dancing with the Stars judge Julian to miss shows due to illness|date=2019-02-17|website=www.irishexaminer.com|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Benson was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of two and was given a life expectancy of thirteen years. Benson kept his diagnosis private for over forty years before revealing it in an interview with Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyedge.ie/julian-benson-late-late-show-3921952-Mar2018/|title=Julian Benson won over Late Late Show viewers with his frank and positive chat about life with CF|last=Byrne|first=Nicola|website=The Daily Edge|date=24 March 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/discover/i-have-cf-it-doesnt-have-me-julian-benson-moved-late-late-show-viewers-with-cystic-fibrosis-story-834127.html|title='I have CF, it doesn't have me': Julian Benson moved Late Late Show viewers with Cystic Fibrosis story|date=2018-03-24|website=www.irishexaminer.com|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref>
In 2018, Benson launched the Julian Benson CF Foundation, an organisation fighting to help those with cystic fibrosis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jbcff.com/|title=Julian Benson CF Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref> On 8 December 2018, the foundation had a charity ball in order to raise funds. It was hosted by Eoghan McDermott and attended by a number of Irish celebrities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://evoke.ie/2018/12/10/extra/pics-the-stars-donned-their-glad-rags-at-the-inaugural-julian-benson-ball|title=PICS: The Stars Donned Their Glad Rags At The Julian Benson Ball|last=Hyl|first=Claire|date=2018-12-10|website=EVOKE.ie|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indulgeme.ie/social-diary-julian-benson-cf-foundation-winter-wonderland-gala-ball/|title=Social Diary: Julian Benson CF Foundation Winter Wonderland Gala Ball|date=2018-12-13|website=IndulgeMe|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-21}}</ref>
Benson was openly gay.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/time-gentlemen-please-as-gay-bars-close-their-doors-j9rpq2ms9cl|title=Time gentlemen please as gay bars close their doors|last=Monaghan|first=Gabrielle|date=2013-01-20|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-02-21|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}</ref> He was a fluent Irish language speaker.
Benson died of complications from cystic fibrosis in Dublin, on 19 April 2025, at the age of 54.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=O'Rourke |first=Evelyn |author-link=Evelyn O'Rourke |date=19 April 2025 |title=Dancer and choreographer Julian Benson dies aged 54 |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2025/0419/1508500-julian-benson/ |journal=RTÉ |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name| 9749321}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benson, Julian}} Category:1971 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Deaths from cystic fibrosis Category:People with cystic fibrosis Category:LGBTQ choreographers Category:Gay dancers Category:Australian male dancers Category:Australian gay entertainers Category:Australian LGBTQ broadcasters Category:Australian LGBTQ dancers Category:20th-century Australian LGBTQ people Category:Australian choreographers Category:Australian emigrants to Ireland Category:Australian television personalities Category:RTÉ Television people