Oldham: Success of acting academy run by star of The Apprentice

Sarah Byrne set up Sarah Byrne Acting Academy in 2016 and tried to win the support of Alan Sugar when she appeared on the BBC One show in 2018.

Unfortunately Sarah, who starred in series including Hollyoaks and Shameless over the course of her own acting career, was the first one to be fired by Lord Sugar.

But the acting academy, which is based at Oldham Hulme Grammar School and Manchester Maccabi Sports Club in Prestwich, is going from strength to strength without the support of the tycoon. It attracts talent from across Greater Manchester and as far as the Isle of Man.

Sarah, 34, from Lees, said: "There are a lot of actors from Oldham, I don’t know if it’s something in the water. I want to give something back and to create opportunities. 

"A lot of children were bullied at school and it's about boosting self-confidence. Acting can help in every aspect of your life."

Recently its students secured roles in series on Netflix and Amazon with Lillie-Mae Law appearing in Black Mirror – an anthology of standalone shows by Charlie Brooker – and Miranda Malunga appearing in The Power, an adaptation of a novel by Naomi Alderman. Miranda Malunga's sister, Eavan Malunga, appeared in sitcom Holier Than Thou last year too.

Sarah and scout Sue Burns take a lot of pride in seeing their success with others taking roles in adverts for big brands like McDonald's and Nike.

Sue, 60, from Prestwich, said: "We’ve got auditions coming out of our hands and Sarah is clever at encouraging the children."

For information on Sarah Byrne Acting Academy, contact academy@sarahbyrneactingacademy.co.uk or go to sarahbyrneactingacademy.co.uk.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.