AL WILDE

AL WILDE

Release Date:

January 1, 2005

Press Release:

Trinity Mirror, London England

by Jen Bishop

BUDDING actor Al Wilde is finishing 2004 on a high after an impressive year of TV and film appearances.

The eight-year-old has worked alongside the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Harry Hill and former EastEnders heart-throb Paul Nicholls, starred in an award-winning advert for Volkswagen and been interviewed on live German television.

His proud mum, Wendy, of Calley Down Crescent, New Addington, said: "He is a really wonderful little boy and I'm really pleased he's made such fantastic progress.

"It's something he does because he enjoys it, but if he ever turned round and said he'd had enough, that would be fine."

And grandmother Alexandra Wilde, who got him signed up with Young'ns acting agency when he was four, added: "He's very grounded, however much we tell him he's wonderful.

"He doesn't take any notice."

Al's first experience of performing was when, at the age of three-and-a-half, he charged his family 10 pence each to watch his one-man play in the front room.

Mrs Wilde approached Young'ns, which is part of the prestigious Sylvia Young theatre school in London, and they put him on their books straight away.

He has since acted the part of young Edward in the BBC's The Real Jane Austen and a chimney sweep alongside Harry Hill on his comedy TV series.

Recently he landed the role of Oliver in the film If Only, alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paul Nicholls, which is due to be shown in the UK next year.

And last month he played a schoolboy in a documentary about CS Lewis called The Spirit of Narnia.

But he still manages to keep up with his schoolwork at Downsview Juniors in Biggin Way, Croydon, where he is learning to play the recorder.

Al's part in the German television advert for Volkswagen won him two awards for best cast and best advertisement, which his mother took him to Germany to collect.

And at the beginning of this month he was interviewed live on the RTL Revue of the Year in Cologne called "2004! People, Images, Emotions" speaking about his acting jobs.

Wendy said: "I can't say whether or not he'll pursue acting when he grows up, but he obviously has talent.

"But I'm his mum, so I'm bound to be biased."