LAYTON Williams has become a familiar face both on stage and on screen thanks to his acting success.
But who is he and what has he starred in? From his rise to prominence in the theatre scene to his time on television – here’s everything you need to know about Strictly Come Dancing 2023 star Layton Williams.
Strictly Come Dancing 2023 star Layton Williams pictured
Who is Layton Williams?
Layton Williams, born September 13, 1994, in Bury, Manchester, is an actor, singer and dancer.
He is best known as a stage and screen actor and has saw his showbiz success take him all the way to London’s West End.
After responding to a promising newspaper advert at the age of 11, Layton went on to train at the Billy Elliot Academy.
Just six months into his training, the young promising star made his theatre debut as Billy in the West End production of the show.
Following success on stage, the actor made his television debut at the age of 14, when he starred in Beautiful People alongside Oscar winner Olivia Colman for two series.
Layton then made the move to train in Theatre Arts at Italia Conti Academy – and it was during this time he featured in the CBBC documentary School for Stars, before landing his breakout role as Stephen Carmichael in the popular comedy series Bad Education in 2012.
How long was Layton Williams starring in Billy Elliot for?
Layton Williams debuted in Billy Elliot the Musical in February 2007.
The star’s training regime was even documented on The Paul O’Grady Show and on several morning TV shows.
Sadly for fans of the West End, Layton gave his final performance in the musical on in November 2008 – marking the moment he became the second-longest serving actor to portray Billy Elliot.
What else has Layton Williams starred in?
Since finding success both on stage and on screen, Layton Williams has become a familiar face with both theatre and television fans.
Aside from starring in the iconic West End production of Billy Elliot, Williams has also starred in The Car Man, Rent, Hairspray! and Kiss Me Kate, and in 2021 he took over the titular role of smash-hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, touring both the UK and leading the show in Los Angeles.
During his seven-year triumphant theatre run, Williams won the LGBTQIA+ Champion Award at the Black British Theatre Awards in 2020, and in 2022 he won the Culture award at the Attitude Magazine Awards.
As a television actor, Williams has featured in I Hate Suzie, The Cleaner, Queens for the Night and provided the voiceover for dating show I Kissed A Boy.
Also on the list of television shows the actor has appeared in is BBC’s iconic celebrity competition Strictly Come Dancing – making it all the way to the 2023 grand finale alongside professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.
Is Layton Williams on social media?
Like many famous faces, Layton Williams is an active user of social media.
As of December 2023, the Strictly star boasts 215,000 fans and followers on Instagram – where he regularly shares smiling selfies and a glimpse of his acting achievements.
Aside from sharing to the popular photo-sharing platform, Williams is also an active user of X, formerly known as Twitter, where he interacts with over 60,000 followers.
What has Layton Williams said about Strictly Come Dancing?
Prior to joining the latest Strictly series, Layton expressed his excitement after being chosen as one of the famous faces to take to the iconic dancefloor.
He said: "Absolutely buzzing to confirm that I will be taking part in the most iconic dance competition in the UK! It's time to bring it to the Ballroom.
"So excited to learn new skills from the best. Bring on the sequins… ALL the sequins!"
After weeks of hard work, only three stars landed a spot in the highly-anticipated Strictly Come Dancing 2023 final – and Layton Williams was one of them.
He will be competing with Bobby Brazier and his pro partner Dianne Buswell and Ellie Leach and her partner Vito Coppola.
Ahead of the glittering grand finale, Layton, who has experienced the show’s worst every battering by trolls due to his musical theatre background, shared an upbeat message to his haters.
Layton laughed: "People are a little bit grumpy… I’m like, cheer up!
"It’s just a cheeky high kick, a flip and a lip! So just get into it."
He added: "I was aware of the fact it might have some noise but we’ve been able to manage it and it’s not defining my journey.
"What’s defining my journey is what we’ve been able to do and who we’ve been able to inspire, not people that are keyboard warriors. They’re just a percentage.
"When I am out on the streets, it’s woah! I was shopping on Sunday in Selfridges doing my thing and the love, I tell you, is crazy.
"I’m going to look back on my Strictly journey and smile. I’m not going to be thinking about no trolls, let’s just say that."
