A SCHOOLBOY from Cirencester who has never acted in his life was picked out of thousands to play the lead character in a brand new BBC drama.

Despite no previous acting experience, 14-year-old Archie Cox from South Cerney was hand-picked by professionals to play the role of young Laurie 'Lol' Lee in Cider with Rosie.

The Deer Park student received the lead part after the production team visited his school, while they were on a trip around every school in the county.

Now that filming is finished, the new actor said he cannot wait to see the programme on BBC One next year.

“I've loved every second of filming,” said Archie. “It was tiring but it was also really good. It was nerve wracking to be in front of the cameras.”

Archie admitted he has definitely caught the acting bug now, despite wanting to be an architect before.

“It was sudden because I did not think I was going to get it. Some of the boys at the workshop had been to drama school,” he added. “In primary school I was in one play, but that was it.”

Mum Claire said she burst into tears when she first heard the news.

“I am so proud of Archie,” she said. “We thought at first they wanted him to be an extra. I just said to him, what an amazing opportunity, even if he didn’t get anything.”

The directors and producers invited Archie multiple times to a studio in London, to audition.

When he was told he had won the lead role, he started filming that week. A tutor accompanied him so he did not miss out on any important school work during the six week period.

Headteacher at Deer Park Chiquita Henson said all staff felt Archie deserved the role, and even felt there was an uncanny likeness to Laurie Lee himself.

"Archie has impressed us with the way in which he has coped throughout the process, especially given the way in which he was discovered by chance during a visit to the school by the casting team," said Ms Henson.

"Commendably, he has endeavoured to keep up with his school work. Over the past six weeks he has matured, shown considerable resilience and learnt about effective team work. We are all looking forward to watching him on screen."

The show, featuring Golden Globe winner Samantha Morton, will air on BBC One next year and is described as a coming-of-age story set in an idyllic Cotswold village during and after the First World War.

A memoir of Laurie Lee’s childhood, it marks the journey of young Lol, played by Archie, as he grows from boy to man.

Producer Helen Gregory said the whole team felt so lucky to have discovered Archie.

"He has such a natural talent and brings so much to the role of teenage Lol," she said.

Now that filming has finished, Claire said that the whole family would try and take a break from acting for a bit.

“We are going to live in the real world now for a few months because you’re just so absorbed,” she said. “Then if Archie still really wants to act, we’ll look into it seriously.”