A North-East actor has proved he has star quality by winning his first big television role.

Michael Imerson's family in Spennymoor, County Durham, will be switching on to watch him in Channel 4's gritty new prison drama, Buried, next week.

His character, Breezy, only features in one episode of the eight-part series but winning the role has been Michael's biggest break yet, and has given him the chance to work with some of the country's leading actors and producers.

Buried is from the stable of World Productions, who made This Life and The Cops, and was filmed last summer.

Since then, the 23-year-old has been touring the country from his new home in London, performing in everything from Shakespeare to pantomime.

He came back to the region to appear in Peter Pan, at Sunderland Empire, with Brian Blessed.

He said: "Buried is my first big television role, and since it was filmed it has been all systems go for me. It has been brilliant.

"The only downside is that I don't know where I am going to be from one week to the next, but that is exciting as well.

"I appreciate everything that is happening to me. It was difficult to break into television because there are a lot of young actors with the same hopes and dreams."

Michael's parents, Tom and Marilyn, sister Gabby, 29, and brother Paul, 26, will all watch him in episode two of Buried, at 10.30pm on Tuesday.