ACTOR Matt Corner owes his star turn on the West End to perspiration, determination and the sound advice of his Darlington drama teacher.

Mr Corner, 25, recently landed the role of lead character Frankie Valli in the West End production of the acclaimed musical, Jersey Boys.

The former student of Darlington’s Carmel College would be just the third actor to play the coveted part on the West End.

He said: “I’m playing Frankie Valli, the lead singer of the Four Seasons.

“I never envisaged I’d be here. It’s a really exclusive part. Not a lot of people have played it.”

The role was the most demanding in the show and he said he would scarcely miss a minute on stage.

“I’m singing probably 22 numbers and I’m not off the stage much.

“The demands are huge. I have a break for about all of five minutes.”

Mr Corner said he had dreamed of reaching the West End for as long as he could remember.

“It’s a cliché to say it’s a dream come true. But I’m going to have to be clichéd, because that’s exactly what it is,” he said.

“Ever since I was small this was something I was into. Now I can’t believe I’m doing it for a job.”

He hoped to set an example for any budding actors and actresses in Darlington who also hoped to strike it big.

“The North East is full of talented actors and artists. It’s the whole Billy Elliot thing of going down to London to make it big. It doesn’t matter where you’re from.

“There’s no reason why they can’t as long as they’re willing to persevere and put in the hard work.”

Mr Corner singled out Trudy Hindmarsh, the principal of Darlington’s Stage Coach Theatre School, as an “amazing” mentor who had helped him along the way.

Ms Hindmarsh first taught Mr Corner when he was 10 years old and said it was obvious even then he was a talent to watch.

She said: “He was great. He was a triple threat.

“But he is also very grounded. He’s very aware of all the things going on around him.”