By Erika Icon

YNOT EUROPE – Although studies indicate 30 percent of porn viewers are female, male consumers always have received the majority of the adult industry’s attention. Consequently, female performers usually take center stage, at least in heterosexual productions, while male performers tend to be little more than props.

British performer Jonny Cockfill stands out from the background, not only because of his chiseled face and sculpted body, but also because he’s an outspoken magnet for controversy.

Cockfill burst onto the adult entertainment scene seemingly from nowhere in mid-2011, when a formal inquiry cleared him to return to teaching in London after students at the high school where he served as head of personal, social and health education stumbled upon his avocation as a stripper and escort. Instead, Cockfill — then known as teacher Benedict Garrett and his alter-ego, stripper Jonny Anglais — gave up teaching for the wonderful world of porn.

Since then, he has debated at Oxford Union, traveled the lecture circuit, appeared on Big Brother UK (he was ejected early on) and performed with some of Europe’s feistiest starlets. In 2012, he received two SHAFTA nominations.

Now Cockfill stands ready to take on the best of the cocksmen in the U.S. The only thing stopping him is a little obstacle called the Atlantic Ocean.

YNOT Europe: How goes the quest to conquer American porn?

Jonny Cockfill: I have been in a series on Cinemax called The Girl’s Guide to Depravity, which included some simulated sex, and was interviewed on ABC’s 20/20, but I haven’t made any porn [in the U.S.] yet. I have only done porn in Ibiza and Hungary, but both times it was for British porn companies. I have also worked for a French company, but [the scene was shot] was in the UK.

Who do you want to work with onscreen that you haven’t worked with yet?

To be honest, I am not a massive porn viewer anymore, so I don’t really know who are the big names right now, but I have worked with some stunning and amazing girls. Personally, I love the more exotic look, so it would be very keen to work with more Asian, Indian, black and Hispanic girls, for instance. I suppose, if pushed, someone like Asia Carrera or Kaylani Lei would probably be on my list.

When I do watch porn, some of my favorite sites are PartyHardcore.com and MadSexParty.com, which shoot in Prague. I would love to get involved in something like that in the future, because it looks like a lot of fun. Plus, they always seem to use strippers, so that would be a perfect combo for me.

In the U.S., the adult industry voluntarily adheres to a strict health-testing protocol. What’s regimen like in the UK?

It’s pretty strict here, too. We have to produce a valid certificate from a test that has taken place within the prior 30 days.

What did you do before getting into porn?

I’ve done lots of things. Most [in]famously, I was a high school teacher, but I have also worked in a bank in Canada, a top London restaurant, for the local government, in a travel company and for a consultancy firm. I still work as a stripper, mainstream actor, presenter, writer, activist and public speaker, alongside doing the porn.

How did your appearance as a housemate on Big Brother UK come about? Did the exposure help your adult career?

I was considered for the role of a housemate on Big Brother by one of the producers, who had been in contact with me [previously] regarding appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, but that never happened. I still had to attend a few of the audition stages, but I believe I was fast-tracked through.

I am not entirely sure whether Big Brother specifically helped my adult career, as such. It certainly hasn’t hindered it, and it has definitely raised my profile. Big Brother is not the launch pad to fame and fortune some may think it is, or perhaps it once was, but you can work it to your advantage.

How did you come up with your porn name?

People have often told me that I look like [American actor] Johnny Knoxville. I wanted a name that was tongue-in-cheek and was also pretty clear, to avoid any confusion about the nature of the work I am involved in. So Jonny Cockfill was born.

Is it hard to date because of your profession?

I don’t do relationships anymore, so I don’t really know. Having said that, I have met women and even been in a couple of relationships in the past while doing porn, so I can’t say it has created much of a difficulty. I am always up-front with anyone I talk to about what I do. But, as I say, I am very happily single and not looking for a relationship in any form right now.

What do you do when you’re not performing? Any unusual hobbies?

I love spending time with my little family: I have a foster son and two dogs — an English Cocker Spaniel and a husky-mix. I love to learn languages and can currently speak, to varying levels, four besides English: French, German, Spanish and Hebrew. I spend a lot of the time in the gym or working out at home, which is a must for my work as a stripper and porn actor, but also because I enjoy it. Sadly, I don’t have a piano in my current home, but my parents have a baby grand, and I can spend hours just tinkling away on the ivories.

An unusual hobby is probably my interest in all things Canadian, which many find hard to understand. Ever since I was 14, Canada, its culture, politics and society have been an obsession of mine, particularly things Franco-Canadian. Many people think there couldn’t be a more boring country, but I would beg to differ. It is simply somewhere many don’t know, or wish to know, an awful lot about.

What about directing? Are you interested in moving your career in that direction?

It’s certainly something I would consider and would love to have a go at. I have a very specific idea about the type of porn I like to watch and would love to produce, so I would like to give this a try one day.

What’s in the future for Jonny Cockfill?

Well, there’s a few years left in this old dog, so you should see a lot more porn from me — mainly on my own site, but I’m always keen to hear from any producers with great ideas, too.

On top of that, I already spend a lot of time visiting universities and participating in debates in the media about the topics of pornography and sex. I love this work and being a voice of reason around these topics, so I will certainly be pursuing more of that, particularly as the beauty fades.

How can people get in touch with you?

For all my porn work, you can follow me on Twitter or Facebook or visit my newly re-launched website, JonnyCockfill.xxx.