STARRING in television shows, pursuing a dream to be a West End star and studying for A-levels – it’s all in an average day for one Newport teenager.

Elian West, 17, who studies at St Julian’s School, recently had nine days of paid acting parts in Casualty and Upstairs Downstairs alongside studying for five A-levels with the hope of getting into the prestigious Guildford School of Acting.

Her television parts include a role as a patient and nightclubber in Casualty and a nanny in period drama Upstairs Downstairs.

Her success is all the more remarkable because she has been chosen out of 20,000 actors and actresses who are keen to get acting parts in TV shows.

She said: “My friends have been spotting me on television and texting me. It has been quite an experience and I’ve loved it.

“On one occasion the producers rang me early one morning and asked me to come to be filmed as a nightclubber.

So I had to get ready on the train, and put my make-up on as if I was going out to a nightclub – but it was only 10am.”

Elian also starred in Showstoppers with WAWWA the Musical Youth at the Dolman Theatre in April.