Revealed: The new Arsenal powerbroker who is friends with Tom Cruise and James Corden

The story of Winston’s bond with Tom Cruise could have come straight from a film script. As the creative mind behind the unforgettable finale of last year’s Olympic closing ceremony, Winston wanted a showstopper. His pitch? A Mission: Impossible-style flag-snatch to set the stage for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Within minutes of meeting Casey Wasserman, chair of the LA organising committee, Winston’s mind was racing: “What if Cruise did it?” he suggested, as revealed by The Telegraph. It was bold, outrageous, and utterly brilliant.  

Convincing Cruise was no small feat. But thanks to previous collaborations on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Winston already had Cruise’s ear. The Hollywood megastar agreed, but with one audacious condition: no stunt double. Cruise himself would leap off the roof of the Stade de France, rehearsing the death-defying dive four days straight to get it perfect. 

Meanwhile, Winston forged a close bond with Corden during the production of The Late Late Show. He also formulated the karaoke idea when he was working as the producer of When Corden Met Barlow for BBC One. Speaking about his role, Corden said: "Ben Winston and I always thought there was something very joyful about someone very, very famous singing their songs in an ordinary situation. We just had this idea: Los Angeles, traffic, the carpool lane – maybe this is something we could pull off.” 

For all the glitz, Winston’s core is pure Arsenal. The Winston family have been dyed-in-the-wool Gooners for generations. His father, Professor Robert Winston, is as loyal a supporter as they come, and the family can often be spotted at both home and away fixtures.   

Winston bridges the gap between tradition and modern spectacle, between football’s raw passion and Hollywood’s ability to dazzle. Don’t blink if the cameras cut to Cruise grinning in the posh seats at the Emirates, because with Winston involved, Arsenal’s future might just be scripted like a Hollywood epic.