Layton Williams is currently playing the title role in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in the West End.

At the age of 24 he has been working in showbusiness for more than half his life. After going to an open audition in Manchester for Billy Elliot at 12 years old he was swept away to ‘Billy School’ before playing the role in the West End. That lead to a part in the BBC series Beautiful People, alongside Olivia Colman.

Layton trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and has since worked with Sir Matthew Bourne and appeared in productions of Rent, Hairspray and Kiss Me Kate. He can also be seen in the three series of Bad Education which was also made into a film.

As well as performing eight shows a week, Layton has his own dance academy and works with the charity Stonewall on LGBTQ education and inclusion.

We recorded this episode in Layton’s dressing room a few days after the Olivier Awards. We talked about taking over the role from his best friend John McCrea, how he had to go back into the closet after going back to school in Greater Manchester after Billy Elliot, and being taught to knit by Olivia Colman.

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