Arsenal's new Hollywood board member - who is Ben Winston?

Arsenal have made big changes in their boardroom but it is the addition of a lifelong Arsenal fan who is friends with James Corden and that has worked with Tom Cruise and the Kardashians that is the most interesting part of the announcement.

Film producer Ben Winston was added as a non-executive director at Arsenal as the club reshuffled the boardroom following the departure of executive vice chair Tim Lewis.

Richard Garlick has been promoted to CEO while Kelly Blaha and Otto Maly from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), join as non-executive directors alongside Dave Steiner.

American Stan Kroenke acquired a 9.9% stake in Arsenal in 2007, becoming majority shareholder in 2011 and assuming 100% ownership in 2018.

Stan and son Josh Kroenke became co-chairs in 2023 in the last boardroom restructure.

Josh Kroenke, who has been increasingly active in the club, has been pictured at games in the early part of this season and attended the PFA Awards with members of the squad.

Having a fan on the board is a nice touch that will connect with supporters, but who is the celebrity producer who was James Corden's best man and had Harry Styles live in his house for two years during the peak years of One Direction?

Winston, 43, has been a season ticket holder at the club for more than 30 years, and says he started supporting Arsenal when he was around 'five or six' before going to his first match aged nine.

He has had an interesting and successful life and his father is Baron Robert Winston, the world famous fertility doctor and scientist.

But it is Winston's success as a film and TV producer which makes his appointment to the Arsenal board so interesting.

According to an article in GQ, external Winston met Corden on the show Teachers, where Winston was a runner and the two bonded over their love of football.

Winston, who went to university in Leeds, would visit Corden while he filmed Fat Friends in the city.

And Winston's support of the Gunners is not for show.

He did not miss a European away game for 12 years and pictures on his Instagram show him in the Bernabeu Stadium for Arsenal's wins over Real Madrid in 2006 and 2025, while he also successfully won an auction with three friends for a lunch with former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

His production company Fulwell 73 has won 23 Emmy awards and three Baftas.

In the sporting world they have produced programmes such as Sunderland's Netflix documentary 'Till I die and the Class of 92 around ex-Manchester United players, including David Beckham and Gary Neville investing in Salford City.

Alongside Corden, Winston came up with the successful Carpool Karaoke series on the Late Late show, which Corden hosted, and the company also produce 'The Kardashians'.

Winston's celebrity connections could be a key part of the next step for Arsenal as they try to lean into that fanbase.

The Gunners are supported by some huge celebrity names with Anne Hathaway, Lewis Hamilton, 21 Savage and Reese Witherspoon all making their love for the Gunners clear.

Superstar singer Dua Lipa has been pictured at the stadium, as has Romeo Beckham, who is a vocal Arsenal supporter despite his dad David's success with Manchester United.

The club lean into their fanbase across the world with music artists being used in their transfer announcement videos and pictures of celebrities in their shirts shared on social media.

There can't be many people better placed than Winston, with all of his contacts, to take that fandom to the next level.

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