Jason Hughes is a Welsh actor best known for playing Sergeant Ben Jones in the ITV series Midsomer Murders (2005–2013) and for the BBC drama This Life (1996–1997) in which he played lawyer Warren Jones. Hughes has also appeared in theatre such as the 1999 re-enactment of Our Country's Good as the Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark. Hughes was born in Porthcawl, South Wales, UK, on December 18, 1971. He is of Italian and Welsh descent. His grandfather, Raldo Carpinini, was the son of an Italian immigrant from Bardi, Emilia-Romagna who came and settled into Ammanford. Hughes' great-grandfather was originally trained to lay train tracks but eventually began an ice-cream business. Hughes' maternal grandfather became a policeman in Porthcawl. Hughes planned to become a sportsman in either rugby or cricket as a teenager but he had to become a lot bigger and lacked the support to become a first class rugby player. Hughes trained as a registered nurse in Cardiff in 1990 before moving to London and working in neurosurgery. From there, he moved into magazine publishing, and the hospitality industry, before returning to nursing in 2003. Hughes began his acting career in theatre, appearing in productions such as Our Country's Good and The Crucible. He made his television debut in 1996, playing Warren Jones in the BBC drama This Life. In 2005, he joined the cast of Midsomer Murders as Sergeant Ben Jones, a role he played for eight seasons. In addition to his work on television and theatre, Hughes has also appeared in films such as Killing Me Softly (2002) and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008). He has also written two books, The ABCs of Love: A Love Story and Game Dev Insights. Hughes is married to Natasha Dahlberg and they have three children. He is a keen rugby fan and supports the Ospreys. In 2013, Hughes left Midsomer Murders after eight seasons. He said that he wanted to pursue other projects and that he felt it was time for a change. His final episode aired in March 2013. Since leaving Midsomer Murders, Hughes has appeared in a number of television shows, including Holby City, Doctors, and The Coroner. He has also starred in the films The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) and The Levelling (2019).
