Young Freddie Bolt took up acting just two years ago and is already becoming a veteran of TV drama.

Now Freddie, 11, of Keighley, has landed his first major role, as a cool kid in popular children's series Bernard's Watch. He is spending much of his summer holiday filming the show on location in Leeds.

Freddie took up performing arts at the age of nine and has appeared in The Quest, with David Jason, My Parents Are Aliens, Emmerdale, and children's series Steel River Blue.

And he reached the final three when he auditioned for the role of young Chesney Brown in Coronation Street.

"He got the part because he's got red hair," said Freddie, a pupil at St Joseph's School in Keighley.

The youngster beat around 100 children to the role of Blake in Bernard's Watch, a popular Carlton show about a boy who can freeze time with his watch.

"I went for auditions at the Yorkshire Television studios and was quite shocked to get the part, as there were lots of boys up for it," said Freddie. "I've been watching the show since I was about five so it's strange to actually be in it. All my friends watch it.

"It's a funny show and Blake is a cool character, he's Bernard's friend."

Bernard's Watch, narrated by Liza Goddard, is about a boy who never quite catches up with himself. He's always rushing because he's always late for wherever he's supposed to be. And he finds that when he gets there he panics about what he will be late for next.

"We're very proud of him," said his dad Michael. "He's done well to land such a big role at his age and we can't wait to see the show."

The new series of Bernard's Watch starts on ITV later this year.