Jack Burns, a young actor who starred in Outlander and was described as “the next Billy Elliot”, has died at the age of 14.
Burns was found dead at his home in Greenock, Inverclyde in Scotland.
Police said they were not treating his death as suspicious. A cause of death has not been disclosed at this time.
News of Burns’ death was announced on Facebook by the Elite Academy of Dance in Greenock, where he secured a place at the age of nine.
The academy said Burns had “touched the hearts of everyone who had the pleasure of working and dancing with him since 2012”.
The statement added: “We and all of Jack’s family and friends are naturally completely devastated and at a loss for words and answers…
“All our thoughts and prayers at this time are with Jack’s immediate family and friends but especially with his parents Karen, Robert and his brother Rory.”
Burns, who trained at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow, also starred in the ITV series In Plain Sight. He got through to the final 10 auditions for the musical Billy Elliot in Newcastle.
One friend wrote on Facebook: “RIP angel fly high my boy forever and always thinking of you. Jack was such an amazing boy and he did not deserve the stuff he went through. He never ever wanted to hurt anyone there was not a bad bone in his body. All he did was make everyone smile.”
Burns is survived by his mother Karen, father Robert and brother Rory.
