Layton Williams

Layton Williams (born 13 September 1994) is an English actor, singer, and dancer, known for playing the role of Stephen Carmichael in the television series Bad Education and his work in the West End theatre. His first job was at the age of twelve playing the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical on London's West End. During his childhood he also played Young Michael Jackson in Thriller – Live musical, Kylie in the BBC series Beautiful People and featured in the CBBC documentary series School for Stars, which documented life at the acting school Italia Conti. From late 2016, he began playing Angel in the 20th anniversary tour of Rent around the UK. The production, particularly his performance, received rave reviews. From January 2019 he played the title character of Jamie New in Everybody's Talking About Jamie until May 2022 and played the character originally on the West End but then played the role on the UK tour of the production. Early life, acting background and education Williams was born in Bury, Greater Manchester, to a white mother and a father of Jamaican descent. After several months of training at the Billy Elliot Academy in Leeds, Williams debuted in Billy Elliot the Musical on 26 February 2007 in London's West End. His training was documented on The Paul O'Grady Show in which he appeared in on 25 May 2007 and then in several morning TV shows, TV interviews, and short clips related to the musical. He is the second non-white boy, the other being Matthew Koon, and the first mixed race youth to star in the show. He gave his final performance in the musical on 29 November 2008 while still being the second-longest running performer as 'Billy' in the show's history. On 31 January 2009, two months after his final performance, Layton appeared on the programme Feelgood Factor on ITV, where he and two other 'Billy' actors, Tanner Pflueger and Tom Holland, performed a specially choreographed version of Angry Dance from Billy Elliot the Musical. Williams has studied street dance and drama at Carol Godby's Theatre workshop in Bury. He also studied ballet at Centre Pointe, Manchester. Williams was awarded a scholarship to Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone, London and stayed there until 2008. He attended Broad Oak High School in Bury, his home town, but once his natural talent for the performing arts became clear he began to attend the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.