Bart Edwards, 19 has just finished filming a three-week stint at the Elstree Centre, where the series is shot and during his short break, he told The Bucks Herald what it was like to be in one of TV's most popular shows.

His debut appearance is on June 9 and he will be seen playing a character called Olly - thought to be involved with Lucy Beale, played by Melissa Suffield.

"I was doing a musical in the Gatehouse, at a musical festival about five or six months ago. The director of EastEnders saw me in that and spoke to me at the end of the show. I didn't think anything of it, but I got a call from his secretary to come for an audition."

An afternoon of watching the Eastenders omnibus was the next move for Bart in preparation for the casting.

There were roughly six other candidates for the role of Olly, "but I went along and they gave me some scripts. The other guys had shaggy hair and little beards, so I kind of got a feeling or who they were looking for," said Bart.

Originally from Norwich, Bart has attended the Arts Educational School, Tring Park since the age of 13. Back home in Norwich, he attended a stage school and after hearing about the Hertfordshire school, decided to apply.

"My parents had to remortgage the house for me to come for the first year," said Bart. After that, he won a scholarship which helped to pay for the school fees - a scheme which he feels should be highlighted if talented young people want to follow the same route.

In the past, Bart has taken part in numerous theatre productions and feels his musical and acting abilities are meshed together. His EastEnders contract means he is featured for a few episodes but there may be talks to keep his character on. Bart feels the opportunity will open a number of avenues for him.

The realities of filming life in Walford is far different from what is seen on the screen. "Everyone is lovely, especially Adam Woodyatt who plays Ian Beale. Standing in the Queen Vic is brilliant and there are cameras everywhere."

Miriam Juviler, speaking on behalf of the school said: "It's quite interesting, we've always had people going off to do big jobs and you would know them, but it's where they went - to big boy companies. This is fantastic publicity for the school and it makes the school more accessible to a lot of people."

The school has a split timetable whereby half of the day teaches the academic subjects and the other half teaches the vocational subjects such as Dance, Drama and Music. The school currently has about 280 pupils.

Bart continued: "I teach drama to the younger kids in the morning and me and my friend Will, teach them PHSE as well. "I love it here, and the school and my parents have been so supportive. If I had stayed in Norwich, at the stage school, I don't think I would have passed my GCSE's."