Edinburgh graduate bags first TV role in Channel 4's Hollyoaks

AN aspiring actor who graduated just two years ago has credited his time in the Capital for helping him land his first television role.

An Edinburgh Napier graduate is loving life on the small screen after landing his first major, national television role.

Rory Douglas-Speed, who graduated from Edinburgh Napier in 2014, has bagged a character role on hit Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.

Starring alongside stalwart characters such as Warren Fox, Rory will play the part of his reformed son, Joel Dexter.

The character found himself and religion before returning to the village as a student of the Catholic Church.

Rory, 24, originally from Cupar in Fife, has previously starred in a stage adaptation of Trainspotting and said he was enjoying television so far.

He said: “I’m having such a blast already, I’m extremely happy to have landed a role in Hollyoaks.

“It’s very much a learning curve as I have never shot any TV before, so every day is very much a school day at the moment.

“However, I could not be working with a better bunch of people down at Lime Pictures – everyone from cast and crew to the canteen staff are amazing.

“I’m very happy with the way everything is going at the moment: I’m just so happy to be here.”

Rory added that his time as a student in the Capital had been pivotal in helping him secure the role.

He said: “Studying at Edinburgh Napier played a big part in me landing this role. The course was fantastic and the team of lecturers were tremendous.

“They really try and get the best out of you, not only as a student but as a working, professional actor.

“It’s not easy. Constantly seeking work and knowing how to get it is very tough but the team tell you how it is and how to approach it. They give you the tools and you know exactly what to do with them when you leave.”

The university’s BA course in acting for stage and screen was launched in 2010 and is being delivered in partnership with Queen Margaret University.

But Rory isn’t the only one to be taking the television world by storm, with fellow Napier graduate Daniel Campbell currently filming crime drama Muncie for ITV, as well as starring in BBC thriller One of Us.

Dr Donna Soto-Morettini, senior lecturer at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all our graduates and it’s great to see such a high level of student success permeate throughout the summer. From sold out Fringe shows to Rory landing his role in Hollyoaks and others touring the country in various plays and musicals, it’s been a great run for our graduates.

“When we launched this course, we hoped to prove that we could train actors to industry standard, and it’s great to see the industry responding to our work.”

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