Colne actress wins role in crime drama Law and Order

Amy Strange was signed up by agent Fiona McLoughlin, who represents movie stars Daniel Craig and Orlando Bloom, after impressing in a show in her final weeks at drama school.

The 25-year-old has since appeared in BBC One’s Casualty and has now starred in ITV1’s primetime drama Law and Order UK opposite Bradley Walsh and Harriet Walter.

When asked what her ultimate goal was, the former Colne Park High School pupil proclaimed: “Five Oscars!”

She said: “Filming Law and Order for two weeks with my own little storyline felt like a film and has given me an itch to do more.

“Bradley Walsh was brilliant. He’s come up through the ranks being a stand-up comedian in Blackpool and he is great.

“He was really helpful and constantly making sure I was okay with everything because he knew it was my first job.

“Harriet Walter as well, who I have seen on stage loads of times, was great. She’s been in a film with Brad Pitt!”

Amy’s real last name is Simpson but she has adopted her mum’s maiden name of Strange for the stage.

When she still lived in Colne she appeared in productions for Pendle Borderline Theatre Company and worked part-time at Hedgehogg florist and KP’s Sandwich Bar.

On leaving Nelson and Colne College, where she studied A-Levels, she spent three years at East 15 Acting School at the University of Essex.

But her first big break came when she beat thousands of hopefuls to secure one of 24 highly-coveted places at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

In her third and final year at the London school Amy performed in an end-of-year showcase put on for casting directors and agents.

Her performance caught the eye of eight agents, but she opted to sign with Fiona, of Independent Talent Group Ltd.

Less than a year after signing up to the agency, she is hoping the TV and film offers come flooding in.

She said: “Hopefully it is going to generate something now people have seen what I can do.”