Award-winning actor Jamie Parker, born in Middlesbrough and raised in Darlington, spoke to BBC Radio 3 last week and revealed how Darlington Hippodrome played a significant early part in his acting career.

Rising to fame initially as Scripps in various productions of Alan Bennett's The History Boys, Jamie has forged a successful career on stage and screen, including an Olivier award-winning role as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Speaking to host Michael Berkeley on BBC Radio 3's Private Passions, Jamie revealed the importance music plays in his life, and chatted briefly on how Darlington Hippodrome, and his parent's role in amateur dramatics with Darlington Operatic Society (DOS), helped spark his interest in acting.

Listen to his interview on BBC Sounds by clicking here (the subject of the Hippodrome begins at 18 minutes).

Jamie's parents were both keen member of DOS and appeared in many shows between 1970 - 1991 in what was then known as the Darlington Civic.

Our friends at DOS have also uncovered the programme for when Jamie himself appeared in one DOS show as Orpheus in Orpheus in the Underworld in 1998.