Who is Strictly Come Dancing star Layton Williams?
The Strictly star also has a very famous Hollywood friend
LAYTON Williams became a household name when he dazzled on the Strictly dancefloor.
But some fans may not know he actually comes from a long background in musical theatre,
Who is Layton Williams?
Born on September 13, 1994, in Bury, Manchester, Layton Williams is an actor, singer and dancer.
The talented star kicked off his career in London’s West End.
After responding to a promising newspaper advert at the age of 11, Layton auditioned for the Billy Elliot Academy.
Just six months into his training, the young promising star made his theatre debut as Billy in the West End production of the show.
Following success on stage, the actor made his television debut at the age of 14, when he starred in Beautiful People alongside Oscar winner Olivia Colman for two series.
Layton then made the move to train in Theatre Arts at Italia Conti Academy.
It was during this time he featured in the CBBC documentary School for Stars before landing his breakout role as Stephen Carmichael in the popular comedy series Bad Education in 2012.
How long was Layton Williams starring in Billy Elliot for?
Layton Williams debuted in Billy Elliot the Musical in February 2007.
The star’s training regime was even documented on The Paul O’Grady Show and on several morning TV shows.
Layton gave his final performance in the musical in November 2008 - marking the moment he became the second-longest serving actor to portray Billy Elliot.
During his stint in the show he made friends with a future Hollywood star.
Layton revealed how he starred alongside Tom Holland in the hit stage show.
"I still need to call him back.
"After Strictly and some serious nights out celebrating, I went into hibernation and slept for 15 hours - and of course, that was the night he decided to call me.
"My nephew is a big fan of Spider Man so he was upset that I missed the call."
When will Layton Williams be on Celebrity Big Brother?
Celebrity Big Brother is returning with a brand new line-up of stars entering the famous house.
Sadly Layton isn't a new housemate but he will be part of the Late & Live team, which follows the main show.
Returning hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best will be joined by Jordan, Dancing on Ice judge Oti Mabuse, and DJ Jordan North.
Each will take turns as the Celebrity House Guest - offering hilarious and entertaining commentary and debate alongside a star-studded cast of fellow star guests.
What else has Layton Williams starred in?
Aside from starring in the iconic West End production of Billy Elliot, Layton has also appeared in The Car Man, Rent, Hairspray! and Kiss Me Kate, and in 2021 he took over the titular role of smash-hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, touring both the UK and leading the show in Los Angeles.
As a television actor Layton has featured in I Hate Suzie, The Cleaner, Queens for the Night and provided the voiceover for dating show I Kissed A Boy.
In 2023, he made it all the way to the Strictly Come Dancing grand finale alongside professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.
Is Layton Williams on social media?
Like many famous faces, Layton Williams is an active user of social media.
As of March 2024, the Strictly star boasts 236K fans and followers on Instagram - where he regularly shares smiling selfies and a glimpse of his acting achievements.
He is also an active user of X, formerly known as Twitter, where he interacts with over 67K followers.