A Newcastle school pupil who launched his acting career during the Covid-19 pandemic is already on screens across the UK.
12-year-old Elijay Anderson, from High Heaton, made his debut on CBBC show Class Dismissed season 6 last year, playing the role of Year 8 pupil Kaden.
The comedy sketch show and mockumentary, which is narrated by Bill Turnbull, follows a group of Year 7 and 8 pupils as they grapple with everyday life at Quayside Academy, a school full of colourful and hilarious teachers and staff.
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It has recently been nominated in two categories at the comedy awards, ‘Best Comedy Sketch Show’ and ‘Comedy of the Year’ in the Comedy.Co.Uk awards.
Class Dismissed will go head-to-head with other hit shows including Horrible Histories, The Emily Atack Show, BAMOUS, The Stand Up Sketch Show and S pitting Image.
The shows on the shortlist are also in the running for the Comedy Of The Year category, as a result of being shortlisted.
Elijay said being nominated 'very very exciting'.
"I am so grateful I had the opportunity to be part of such a successful show," said Elijay. "The cast and crew are all amazing and worked so hard during covid to make it happen."
The Jesmond Park Academy pupil auditioned for the show during the pandemic, after announcing to his mum in March 2020 that he wanted to be a actor.
"Right at the beginning of the first lockdown I told my mam I wanted to be an actor and take it seriously," he said. "My mam said I was old enough to make that decision and it’s so hard, but she helped me get a agent and do some online acting classes.
"I have done lots of auditions and come really close to getting jobs so when I got this job I was really happy and it made all the no’s I got worth it.
"I had to do a self tape audition where I had to learn a script and my mam had to help me film it and send it off. Then I had to do a call back but because of covid we had to do it on zoom, this was with the casting director and the producer from CBBC.
"Then I had to do another call back audition which was a chemistry read with some of the other children in the show, where I had to learn two different parts and perform another script."
Elijay said it was almost eight weeks of waiting before he had found out he had the part.
"When I got told I got the job I was told by my agent I had to have a meeting with the director on zoom again - but really my agent wanted to surprise me and tell me I got the part," he said. "I was so happy and proud of myself."
For Elijay life on set has also meant juggling his school studies, and making up for any time he misses in the classroom while he's working.
“I luckily haven’t had too much time off school," he said. "I always get my homework done as soon as I get it. I had some time off to film for the Sainsburys Christmas advert in October last year but I still had school work to do in between so it’s not all fun and games but it’s super worth it.
"In the advert it’s so short and I am in right at the beginning as a dancer when the camera goes round me and it took ages to setup so I was able to get some schoolwork done then.”
Since filming wrapped up for this season of Class Dismissed, Elijay has already been attending auditions for new acting projects, and has currently been shortlisted for another television show.
He said he plans to continue acting because he "really enjoys it".
Sadly, he won't be able to attend the Comedy Awards Show because of Covid, but he says he'll be keeping his fingers crossed for a win from home.
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