Teleri Hughes

'My training at the Royal Welsh College helped instil a sense of discipline. The stamina you need to have to be in a show eight times a week is insane, so it helps to prepare you for that. Had I not done the master’s course, I don’t think I would have had the career I’ve had. I would have probably gotten lost in a group or not been using my singing and dancing.

The College encouraged us to be detailed, do the work, discover different ways and skill sets and ‘Find the joy’. I think it's really important to always find the joy in your work because it’s a tough industry. You get a lot of no’s and a lot of rejection, and you have to build up real resilience. I think that’s a nice little North Star to have when you’re hearing ‘no’ quite a lot.

Going forward, I want to create stories set in a world I grew up in. There's so much amazing content being made in Wales, but it doesn’t always reflect the Wales I know. Representation is important, especially queer representation in rural areas. Hopefully, I can write something that makes young queer kids in a town of 2,500 feel a little less lost. That’s my hope.

I’d like to think that being from a small town in North Wales and attending a comprehensive school from a working-class family shows others that it’s possible. The fact that I’ve been on the West End coming from such a small town is a testament to my teachers, who taught me that it was possible.'

Teleri Hughes