HOLLYOAKS star and former Padgate High student Darren Jeffries is to launch an acting course in his hometown.

The 36-year-old is bringing Ludovico Studio to the Pyramid arts centre, saying he wants to give back to the Warrington community that gave him his career.

Darren's professional acting career began when he was talent spotted by an agency during a performance at Parr Hall.

This led to a successful audition for the role of Sam 'O.B.' O'Brien in Channel 4's Hollyoaks when he was just 14.

Darren has also guest starred in BBC One’s Doctors and appeared in various productions in the north including Where We Are at HOME in Manchester, Dear Nomad with The Bolton Octagon and in Andrea Dunbar’s play Shirley at Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax.

The course is open to everyone from beginners to professionals who want to brush up on their skills. Over eight weeks they will learn the likes of stagecraft, on-camera techniques, improvisation tips and industry know-how as well as career support and advice.

With a choice of two-hour classes on Monday or Tuesday evenings, the first course will run from October 8 to November 26.

There will also be an open day in the town centre on Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16, for anyone interested in meeting Darren and the Ludovico team and discovering what the course will entail.

Darren already has big plans for his students. He is currently in talks with Culture Warrington and Warrington Borough Council, and hopes to showcase the first generation of Ludovico actors during Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival 2019, Stockton Heath Festival 2019 and various industry showcases in Manchester.

The long term plan is to form a ‘creative pathway’ from Warrington to the fast-growing theatre and television industry in Manchester, providing opportunities for actors from the town who may have previously seen them as out of reach.

Darren said: "There’s a known lack of support across the UK for actors young and old who simply don’t have the ways and means to enter established drama schools.

"So I’m extremely enthusiastic about bringing Ludovico Studio to my hometown of Warrington.

"It was on stage in Warrington’s own Parr Hall where I received my first big break which led to Hollyoaks, so I’m eternally grateful to the place and I can’t wait to pass my experiences on and support others with their own performance skills and careers.

"I believe there’s a ton of blue-collar acting talent in Warrington that hasn’t yet been given the chance to shine, and my goal is to give something back to the town that gave me my career and to build a thriving, working acting community that Warrington can be proud of.”

Alongside Ludovico Studio, Darren also runs Ludovico Productions, which specialises in creating short films and original theatre.

Their first film ‘Note to Self’ is already in the edit suite and will be released later this year, as well as their first theatre production taking place in November of this year.

For more information about Ludovico Studio at Pyramid visit helloludovico.co.uk