Everybody's talking about actor's hometown return

Ivano Turco made his West End debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella in 2021

A West End musical theatre actor said it would be "wonderful" to return to perform on the stage where he made his debut as a child.

Ivano Turco, who grew up in Milton Keynes, will be starring as Jamie New in the touring version of Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Milton Keynes Theatre.

"I cannot tell you how much I have missed MK," he said.

"It's going to feel very like I've come full circle to be here leading a tour, after everything that I've done in my career."

Ivano Turco started his theatrical training in Milton Keynes before moving to London

Mr Turco, who was born in Zimbabwe, moved to the city aged five and started singing at his church, Ecclesia Ministries, in Bletchley.

• Everybody's Talking About Jamie: 'There's more to the UK than London'

He had plans to become a lawyer, but when his passion for acting evolved "in such a quick time", he decided to attend sixth form at Arts1 School of Performance.

"That's when it just developed into a full blown 'this is the career that I would like to have'. And from there I moved to London, trained at the Urdang Academy, and then was in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella - and then the rest was history."

The actor has appeared in West End shows including Get Up, Stand Up! and Cinderella

"My first proper stage debut was at [the] Milton Keynes Theatre, The Wiz, I was a Munchkin - I was so young," the actor said.

"I'm very excited to come back, because they haven't heard my voice for a while.

"It feels wonderful. I cannot tell you how much I have missed MK."

He said his career was only possible with the support and "sacrifice" of his mum and sister, who still live in the city.

He added that they have "come to every single show that I've done, it will be nice for them not to have to get a cab back from London".

Everyone's Talking About Jamie has been described as "inspiring, uplifting and infectious"

Mr Turco returns when he can to teach at Arts1, so he said he will have to "show up and show out" for his students when performing in Everyone's Talking About Jamie, which runs from 10-15 June.

He said he tells performing arts students: "Just keep your head down and and keep pushing, and eventually, you will get to a place where everything is just fruitful, and it's just there for you."

Turco added that his church, Arts1 and his family have helped to "cultivate me as a person".

"It takes a village to raise a performer," he added.