Christmas comes early for students at Stagecoach

by Robert Lloyd

Christmas has come early for pupils at the Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools. Some have just finished watching themselves taking part in the hit Sky1 TV series Stella.

Some have been working on filming for the Christmas special for the popular comic tale of Valleys life.

“It’s been a wonderful time for many of our students, being able to see themselves on national TV alongside such wonderful people such as Ruth Jones,” said Stagecoach school Principal Liane Davies.

“And the fun just keeps on coming for the pupils as some of them are busy working on the Christmas special.

“It seems very strange for them to be working on a Christmas show before we get to Easter, but such is the magic of television.”

Liane added: “We are very lucky with our Stagecoach schools in that we have access to the national Stagecoach Agency, which is able to secure work and opportunities for our talented youngsters.”

One pupil to benefit from working on the Stella show is Ffion Gwyther, who is a pupil at the Stagecoach InterAct Llanelli school. Interact is part of the Stagecoach Charitable Trust The 17-year-old former Bryngwyn pupil, who has Down’s Syndrome, was delighted when she got the chance to audition for Stella.

Mum Susie Hamill said Ffion loved her time on the show.

Ffion described her experience as “exciting and great fun” and said she would love to work with the production company again.

Mrs Hamill remarked at how much they had enjoyed working with the programme and how helpful everyone had been on set.

She also spoke about how the role played by Ffion was “appropriate and very true”, giving an honest presentation of a young woman with Down’s Syndrome.

Stagecoach principal Liane Davies said: “Ffion is just one of the Stagecoach pupils who have benefitted from the chance of appearing on TV in Stella. The programme is a great hit nationwide – and it is of course a very special hit for the pupils of Stagecoach in West Wales.”