Hit musical The Buddy Holly Story comes to Bradford this month.

And the show will star in the lead role Roger Rowley who first played Buddy Holly in an amateur show at Yeadon Town Hall.

For Roger, 24, of Horsforth, it is his first professional role since leaving drama school. Performing is in Roger’s blood – his great great grandfather was music hall star JW Rowley, who became known as ‘Over Rowley’ when he did a handspring supported by a walking stick while singing Going to the Derby.

And Roger’s family runs a television and film special-effects company, which created the famous Emmerdale plane crash explosion.

Roger, who went to Horsforth High School, is enjoying his role as Buddy Holly in the musical following the singer’s rise to becoming the world’s top recording artist, before his death in a plane crash aged 22 in 1959.

“He’s a legendary singer and I felt a responsibility to get it right but at the same time this has to be my version of Buddy Holly,” said Roger.

Buddy runs at the Alhambra from February 28 to March 5. Tickets are available on (01274) 432000.

  • Read the full story in Monday's T&A