ESTHER
STANFORD
hello@estherstanford.co.uk
Esther Stanford is a multi award-winning actor, writer, filmmaker and podcast host. She is also a director, producer, workshop facilitator, and performance and presence coach, working with leaders, creatives, teams, and individuals seeking greater confidence, clarity and impact.
Esther trained at the BAFTA-winning ITV Workshop and has worked for the BBC, ITV, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and leading independent production companies. Her podcast, Limited Time Only — co-hosted and co-produced with Susie Riddell of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers — has won the 2025 International Women’s Podcast Award (sponsored by BBC Sounds), the 2025 and 2026 Women in Podcasting Award, and was highly commended at the Cheerful Earful Golden Lobes 2026 awards. The show has featured guests including Emma Freud, Richard Curtis, Steve Lamacq, Chesney Hawkes, H from Steps and Kirsty Gallagher.
Esther is the founder of March House, a production company and creative storytelling platform launched in 2026, dedicated to empowering one’s voice, creativity, and the shared human experience. Under March House, Esther hosts the YouTube show Conversations with Creatives.
Alongside her creative work, Esther is the co-founder of The Confidence Rooms — a premium workshop and coaching practice specialising in voice, presence, gravitas and authentic communication — working with leaders, teams and organisations, with a particular focus on women in professional life.
Rooted in storytelling and voice, Esther’s work is about one thing: helping people show up as the fullest, most powerful version of themselves — whether on stage, on screen, or in the boardroom..
CREATIVITY. COMMUNICATION. CONFIDENCE. PERFORMANCE.
MARCH HOUSE CREATIVE
LIMITED TIME ONLY PODCAST
THE CONFIDENCE ROOM
THE WORKSHOP ACTORS STUDIOLatest Projects
Limited Time Only live at Cheerful Earful Podcast Festival Sunday 18th October 13.15-14.15 at The Bedford, Balham
Limited Time Only Season 7 lands Autumn 2026
March House, Conversations With Creatives landing fortnightly
MARCH HOUSE CREATIVE
March House is my creative home.
Named after the four March sisters in Little Women - a writer, an actor, a musician and an artist - it was born from a simple belief: that creativity doesn’t fit neartly into one box. Neither do I.
As a storyteller, I wanted a space to tell the stories I wanted to tell. But I also wanted somewhere to explore creativity more broadly — how ideas come to life, how people sustain creative careers, how we find our voice, and how we make things without waiting for permission.
Through original productions, Conversations with Creatives, workshops and creative experiments, March House is where I make, play, share the process and invite others into it. It’s a production company, yes — but more than that, it’s a place where creativity is explored, practised and celebrated without gatekeeping.
Come on in, make something.
CONVERSATIONS WITH CREATIVES a fortnightly YouTube show where I chat with creatives from all different industries about their processes, highs and lows and how they make their lives work.
ABOUT JACK play. Starring Gregory Piper (Line of Duty), Rebecca Fuller (The Archers), Melanie Hamilton and Esther Stanford. Directed by Ian Smith.
UNTITLED SHORT currently in pre-production.
#52Fridays Weekly sketches landing on a Friday
LIMITED TIME ONLY PODCAST
WINNERS:
The International Women’s Podcast Award (sponsored by BBC Sounds) ‘Best Comedy Moment’ 2025
Women Who Podcast Awards ‘Laughter & Cheer’ category. 2025 & 2026.
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Golden Lobes Awards ‘Best Tangent 2026
LIVE AT CHEERFUL EARFUL PODCAST FESTIVAL
Sunday 18th October 13.15 -14.15
The Bedford, Balham, SW12 9HD
SEASON 7 LANDS AUTUMN 2026
The brainchild of Esther & Susie Riddell (Tracy Horrobin in The Archers, Radio 4), LIMITED TIME ONLY is for anyone who feels there aren’t enough hours in their life.
A joyful mix of chat, comedy, sketches and interesting guests.
Previous Guests: Emma Freud & Richard Curtis, Chesney Hawkes (the one and only), Steve Lamacq (radio legend), Paul Ready (Motherland/The Bodyguard), Dom Joly (Trigger Happy TV), Kirsty Gallagher (Cosmic Purpose), Ben Whitehead (the voice of Wallace), Neil Newbon (Baldurs Gate & Resident Evil), H from Steps, Rosie Green (award-winning journalist), Sarah Smart (At Home With The Braithwaites/Wallander), Sally Wood (theatre producer and wife of Rolling Stone, Ronnie) and Nadia Attura (award-winning artist)…
THE CONFIDENCE ROOM
Confidence isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming more fully yourself in the room.
The Confidence Room is a workshop and development space for people who want to feel more confident, compelling and comfortable in professional situations.
Created by Esther Stanford and Susie Riddell, we combine performance, communication, psychology and practical exercises to explore what happens when you stop trying to perform and start actually feeling it.
What we help people do
✔ Speak with clarity, confidence and calm authority
✔ Increase presence — without performing or pretending
✔ Communicate with warmth, authenticity and ease
✔ Gain trust and influence — without being louder
✔ Lean into your strengths, not a leadership stereotype
✔ Thrive in roles where visibility, voice and credibility matter
✔ Reconnect with creativity
✔ Reconnect with you voice
Our approach
Our work combines over 70 years of experience in communication, storytelling and performance, as well as coaching actors and leaders internationally. We also integrate elements of reflective practice, voice work, strengths-based coaching and psychological insight.
Every programme is bespoke, designed around the group or individual, their role, their strengths and their leadership context.
Depending on the client needs, we run group workshops and work 1-1 as a one-off session or a prolonged period of time.
Where helpful, we collaborate with trusted specialists in voice, breathwork and mindfulness to build a supportive leadership toolkit clients can continue using after our work together.
Who we work with:
Leaders stepping into visibility
Team heads and creative strategists
Women and quieter voices
New leaders transitioning into more public roles
Experts who need their presence to match their expertise
Leadership teams
Creative teams
Organisations navigating change
We’ve worked with organisations and individuals across the creative industries and beyond from the BBC and ITV to pharmaceutical companies.
If you’re interested in working together, we’d love to hear from you.
THE WORKSHOP ACTORS STUDIO
MONTHLY MASTERCLASSES
As an actor you may not always want to attend a weekly class but you will want to keep consistently developing your skills, maintaining your confidence, networking with other actors and receiving feedback, which is why I created these 3 hour one off Monthly Masterclasses.
Each class is stand alone and focuses on a particular area of acting.
Classes are £38.00pp. You are paying for a one off class and there is no commitment to any further classes.
Places are limited and your place is only confirmed once you have paid.
This class is for over 18's. Classes are designed to meet the requirements of all experience levels.
SEPTEMBER MASTERCLASS: COMEDY IMPROVISATION
In September, we’ll be exploring comedy improvisation — developing spontaneity, confidence and the ability to find comedy in the moment.
This session will focus on:
• Exploring the fundamentals of comedy improvisation and what makes a scene funny
• Developing confidence in making bold choices and committing to them
• Learning to listen, react and build with your scene partner
• Exploring timing, rhythm, physicality and the unexpected
• Using “Yes, and…” to develop scenes and create playful, spontaneous work
• Finding comedy through character, situation and truthful behaviour
• Letting go of overthinking and trusting your instincts
Your scenes will be filmed for you to see your own work.
WHEN: Saturday 12th September 2026, 2–5pm
WHERE: The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
PAYMENT: £38, payable in advance (non-refundable).
Places are strictly limited and your spot is confirmed once payment is received.
Monthly classes run in Central Birmingham at The Crescent Theatre.
The next class is SATURDAY OCTOBER 15th, 2-5pm TV SCRIPTS
THE CREATIVE ACTOR - 8 WEEK COURSE - JANUARY 2027
