HE was the soap star who proved to be a wow on Strictly. But the millions who tuned in to watch Danny Mac and professional partner Oti Mabuse strut their stuff didn't realise how much those Saturday night performances helped Danny take his career to the next level.

Four years on Hollyoaks as Mark 'Dodger' Savage had won him a legion of fans but when he left the role in 2015, he faced the dilemma that so many actors who have become associated with one particular role face – was there life away from the series?

"When you are in a continuous drama, people put you into this box," said Danny. "You know what you are capable of it but it can be hard to fight through the preconceptions that surrounds you having done a show like Hollyoaks, even though it was something which I was really proud of.

"Coming out of Hollyoaks my confidence was knocked slightly. There were so many things I wanted to do but it was really hard to be considered. What Strictly did was to allow me to build my confidence again in terms of what showing me I was capable of.

"I had started to question myself."

Although he didn't win the show – he and Oti finished joint runners-up – Danny holds the record for the highest average score on the show for a male celebrity.

And now Danny's in Manchester with the award-winning musical Sunset Boulevard.

"It's possibly the best show I've ever had the pleasure of playing and it's an incredible cast, I'm having the time of my life," said Danny.

Based on the movie by Billy Wilder and with a score from Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Danny plays Joe Willis, an aspiring writer who, on the run from debt collectors, finds himself embroiled in the fantasy world of faded screen star Norma Desmond living a reclusive life in her mansion and who dreams of rekindling her career.

"I really only a vague impression of the story before I got the part," said Danny. "It took me to pick up the script and hear the score to fully realise how impressive a show this is.

"It exists almost in two parallel universes. There's one story that is being filmed by a film studio so all the sets are fake and there are stagehands setting things up and on the flip side there is the real world where the characters happen to be moving through the other world the creative people are setting up.

"It's an intelligent piece and it allows the audience to think and think about the storyline from their own point of view.

"I've never had a role that's as challenging as this.

"I've had many challenges over the years but as an actor this is the first piece where I've had a full, rounded character where there's a beginning a middle and an end. You have the full story there to play with from the start so I get to go out there and really dive in."

Danny stars alongside Ria Jones as Norma Desmond, a role she also played in the West End and he admits that even though he trained for the theatre audiences are still surprised to see him being so successful in the role.

"I have been so fortunate with the opportunities I've had and the career I've had so far," he said. "But it's funny because on the most part most people don't actually know what I'm capable of or trained in.

"This is the first time in a long time that I doing something that I'm completely capable of and trained in and it does make me smile when people to the show and are so shocked to see me doing this. It's lovely and it's flattering but you don't go to see a doctor and be surprised when they give you a prescription, it's what I'm qualified for.

"For the first time for a few years I'm actually back in my comfort zone. I did five years training before I even entered the industry.

"But what has been particularly good is that the company have welcomed me wholeheartedly as one of them not just some guy off the telly. I've been welcomed because I am one of them, from their industry and that's a nice position to be in."

Sunset Boulevard will be in Manchester for a fortnight before continuing its tour around the UK until April – not the ideal start for married life. Danny and his former Hollyoaks co-stare Carly Stenson tied the knot in September.

"Bless her for allowing me to do this role," said Danny. "We are a team and we always have been and I'm so lucky that Carly understands.

"When this role came in we talked about it but it was a really a no brainer as it is such a fantastic role. Whatever decision you make professionally affects you personally so it's great to have that understanding."

Sunset Boulevard, Palace Theatre, Manchester, until Saturday, November 4. Details from 0844 871 3018