Wokingham boy, 13, lands major TV role in BBC series

Kai, a Stagecoach Performing Arts student from Wokingham, secured his role in the adaptation of the novel after several rounds of auditions.

The casting call was open to all, with no prior acting experience necessary.

The young talent is now one of 20 boys chosen to play the desert island camp's 'big 'uns' and 'little 'uns.'

The filming for the production began this autumn, and he is currently in Malaysia for four months, taking part in the project.

Kai has been a student at the Stagecoach Performing Arts school since he was 11.

He has previously been involved in a range of stage projects, including Shakespeare's Othello, where he played the scheming Lago, and a Stagecoach production of Matilda, where he took on the role of Mr Wormwood.

Kai is represented by P D management.

Reflecting on his experience so far, Kai said: "The set is everything I hoped it would be. The experience has been wild. From the location to props, it's fabulous. Especially the cheeky monkeys that keep stealing objects.

"The auditioning process was a long journey, but the excitement I felt when I got the role was worth it.

"I met several of the boys I'm filming with now along the way, so I was really chuffed to see them again."

Claire Louise Rosser, principal of Stagecoach in Wokingham, said: "Kai has attended Stagecoach Performing Arts schools in Wokingham and Reading East for a few years now, and we are so proud of his progress and achievements."

Stagecoach Performing Arts in Wokingham is part of the largest network of extracurricular performing arts schools in the UK.

The school offers classes covering singing, dancing, and acting, and caters to various age groups: Early Stages (ages 4-6), Main Stages (ages 6-15), and Further Stages (ages 15+).

Lord of the Flies is a novel penned by Nobel Prize-winning British author William Golding.

It tells the tale of a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves.

The book is renowned for its exploration of human nature and its commentary on civilisation, making it a staple in English literature curriculums worldwide.

The novel has previously been adapted into films in 1963 and 1990, as well as a stage play, but this BBC production marks the first time it is being adapted into a TV series.

For more information about Stagecoach Performing Arts Wokingham, visit their website.