Stage school star Sylvia Young's savage reprimand to young Rita Ora over rule-break
She mostly passed unnoticed in the street but in many ways Sylvia Young was everywhere – in soaps, sitcoms and TV dramas, in Hollywood films and on West End stages, and in worldwide hits and stadium shows.
Without her, we might never have known pop stars like Amy Winehouse, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora or Leona Lewis. And from Grange Hill to Doctor Who and EastEnders, some famous names may never have been discovered.
Although she never wanted the spotlight, the screens, stages and soundtrack of Britain today would be very different without the 'backstage matriarch', who died yesterday morning, aged 86.
Tributes poured in from some of Britain's biggest stars, each crediting Sylvia with their success.
All Saints singer Nicole Appleton said: 'She was a massive part of my life and paved the way for so many of us.' Actress Sadie Frost added: 'She was always so lovely to me and I will cherish the memories for ever.'
Dua Lipa told of the encouragement she got from staff at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, saying: 'Sometimes, all it takes is one thing for them to say and that carries you on for the rest of your life.' Radio icon Tony Blackburn said Sylvia was 'a very lovely lady who I've had the privilege of knowing for many years'.
Sylvia was born in Hackney, North East London, in 1939, just as the Second World War broke out. One of nine children, she remembered as a teenager seeking refuge from her busy house at the local library, where she would go every day to read, falling in love with plays.
She joined a local theatre company but recalled: 'I used to get stage fright. I used to lose my voice before every production. When I think about it, they were sort of panic attacks.' She left school at 16 and in her early 20s married Norman Ruffell, a telephone engineer, and became a stay-at-home mother.
Sylvia, who had daughters, Frances and Alison, started drama classes for children at schools, charging 10p a lesson, and then ran a Saturday school at a Drury Lane sports club. The school later went full-time, staring with 29 pupils in 1981.
By 2010 it had grown tenfold due to good GCSE results and pupils' TV roles. The theatre school moved to Marylebone, where it remains.
Although the fee-paying school was in high demand, she always ensured low-income students could attend on scholarships.
Her daughter Frances Ruffelle, a West End star and mum of pop star Eliza Doolittle, said her mum was 'a true visionary' who 'gave people from all walks of life the chance to pursue their performing arts skills to the highest standard'. The late Amy Winehouse studied at the school after Sylvia gave her a part-scholarship.
Sylvia said: 'At Amy's audition she sang On The Sunny Side Of The Street so superbly that I thought, 'My God, this is the new Judy Garland!' She was tremendously musical, she had her own style, image, everything.
'She wouldn't wear the school uniform correctly, her tie would often be askew and in classes she'd chew gum. But I couldn't be angry with her because she was her own person. She was a free spit and had been given a special gift."
EastEnders' Dean Gaffney was at the school in the early 90s, in the same years as actors Daniella Westbrook and John Pickard, and Spice Girl Emma Bunton.
Dean, who was also on a half-scholarship, remembered: 'On the Monday to Wednesday, you did normal academic subjects, then on a Thursday and Friday, it turned into a complete Fame school, with people singing down the hallways.
'If I hadn't gone to that school, who knows where I'd be. Maybe EastEnders wouldn't have picked up the phone to see who they'd got on their books.'
Other famous attendees included Billie Piper, Letitia Dean, Lily Cole and Gemma Collins. Doctor Who actor Matt Smith, Little Mix singers Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Busted bassist Matt Willis also went there.
Pop star and talent show judge Rita Ora, who studied music at the school, recalled also having trouble following the rules.
She said: 'I was cheeky. I hated wearing a hairnet. Sylvia would come into ballet class and catch me without one. 'Rita, there are some rules. This is a serious matter', she'd say.
'Sylvia had a soft spot for me, though. I was never rude, I just wasn't great at listening.' McFly rocker Tom Fletcher met his wife, presenter Giovanna, at the school, which they attended from the age of 13. Sylvia was at their wedding. Giovanna said: 'My life would not be what it is without Sylvia Young. She knew what every child was up to and how to get the best out of everyone.'
While some pupils knew what they wanted to do with their talent, others, like Denise van Outen, were not so sure.
Denise, who studied with actresses Billie Piper and Keeley Hawes, remembered: 'When we got towards the end of our time there, Sylvia sat each of us down for a careers chat and asked which way we wanted to go.
'They wanted you to choose one route or another, but I said, 'I like doing it all'. I was a bit confused, I suppose, because unlike Billie and Keeley, I didn't have an obviously outstanding talent. I enjoyed everything and could do it all okay.
'So Sylvia said, 'Well, try and do it all and see what happens. You don't have to be brilliant at everything'."
It worked, and Denise went on to present the Big Breakfast, starred in musical Chicago and was runner-up in Strictly.
Dua Lipa attended the school at weekends as a child, then re-enrolled following her A-levels. During the pop star's ITV Christmas special at the Royal Albert Hall last year she had an emotional reunion with her old music teacher, Ray.
She recalled of him: 'He heard my really deep voice and was like, 'You've got something special, use it'. He completely changed my life.'
Well into her latter years, Sylvia still lived in the school, describing herself as the 'caretaker' as she and Norman stayed in the upstairs flat.
And right up to her death, she continued to nurture the stars of the future. The legacy of the 'backstage matriarch' will continue to shape the screens, stages and stadiums of Britain.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Where Coronation Street fans have seen Aunty Rani before as actress makes soap comeback
Coronation Street viewers have been introduced to Rani Alahan, the Aunt of Dev Alahan, but the actress has actually been on the programme before on several occasions. Coronation Street viewers have been introduced to Rani Alahan, the aunt of Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin), who has arrived just in time for his wedding to Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove). She quickly caused a stir at number seven as she set about taking control of the nuptials and the bride-to-be adopted a posh accent in a bid to impress her. The character is played by Josephine Lloyd-Welcome and, while she is now taking on a whole new role, this is not the first time she has been seen walking the cobbles of the nation's most famous street. From 2004 until 2009, she appeared on an intermittent basis as Doctor Patel and was initially seen on-screen with Dev and Sunita Alahan (Shobna Gulati) as she delivered the results of his then-wife's blood tests prior to her brain tumour diagnosis. Following that, she shared scenes with legendary matriarch Gail Platt (Helen Worth) and Jerry Morton (Michael Starke), when her character visited the former kebab shop owner following a health scare. In 2010, she appeared as an unnamed doctor who checked on Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey), who is her new character's great-niece, for suspected meningitis. And in 2012, she was seen Raveena Bhatia, who was the boss of Marcus Dent (Charlie Condou) when he worked as a midwife at Weatherfield General. At the time, she played a part in his storyline that saw the openly gay character having an affair with Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon), and she spotted them both together in the Bistro. But Josephine's new part comes as Weatherfield businessman Dev, who first appeared on the soap in 1999, made a comeback after six months away. As well as her various stints on Coronation Street, Josephine has also appeared in a wealth of other British television staples throughout her lengthy career. Earlier this year, she appeared as Devika Babu in the penultimate episode of the latest episode of Doctor Who alongside Ncuti Gatwa, and she has also starred in episodes of Not Going Out, EastEnders, Doctors, Casualty, and Holby City. In 2021, she appeared the regular role of Rainbow on the Nickelodeon sitcom Goldie's Oldies. In 1980, she appeared in six episodes of Agony, the sitcom that made a star out of Dame Maureen Lipman, who now plays Evelyn Plummer on Coronation Street. Away from the screen, Josephine has also enjoyed an illustrious career on stage and has tread the boards in productions of Kinky Boots, The Mousetrap and Top Girls. But Josephine is not the only soap star to have appeared in Coronation Street in various roles before making a comeback in a regular part. Way back in the early days of the show, Jean Alexander played landlady Mrs Webb over the course of two episodes before rejoining in her signature role as the iconic Hilda Ogden. Similarly, Beverley Callard played the one-off part of June Dewhurst, a friend of Gail and Brian Tilsley in the early 1980s before she truly made her mark on the programme as Rovers Return landlady Liz McDonald. Years later, Lisa George played a family liaison officer on more than one occasion before she arrived to play feisty knicker stitcher Beth Sutherland from 2011, and Catherine Tyldesley, who is thought to be making a comeback as former barmaid Eva Price, played a midwife before she landed what became her most famous role. And in 2004, Alison King played a bored housewife known only as Mrs Fanshaw, who seduced builder Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) before she returned two years later to take on the role of no-nonsense factory boss Carla Connor. What's more, Jane Hazlegrove first joined the cast as a teenager when she played Sue Clayton in the early 1980s. Her character's family became involved in a dispute with Jack and Vera Duckworth before they left, and the actress came back more than two decades later to take on the part of Bernie. Aunty Rani's debut on the programme comes just as Aadi Alahan (Adam Hussain) is set to leave. We haven't got an exit date yet for the character, but with his father Dev Alahan returning to Weatherfield after months offscreen, amid two big twists for his son, it seems it could be soon. Aadi was caught up in drama just weeks ago when he planned to take LSD at a party only for someone else to unknowingly take it. That person, Lauren Bolton, nearly died and has yet to find out Aadi was involved. He's been trying to make amends by helping her out, and in upcoming scenes they grow closer - with this no doubt set to end in heartache. Also, Aadi was the victim of theft last week when someone robbed the shop. Of course it soon emerged that Aadi had staged the whole thing, with the help of troubled teen Brody Michaelis. Brody took off with the money, or so it was assumed as Aadi claimed £6,000 was taken. He was later forced to confess to his stepmother Bernie Winter that this was the amount he was in debt after taking out a loan. He'd taken the money from the safe to pay off said loan, hoping the robbery would allow them to claim on the insurance. Next week the drama continues when Aadi realises the insurance company won't pay out. With the money gone, surely it's only a matter of time before he's forced to explain all to his father Dev. Aadi is facing big trouble once he's exposed for both the staged robbery and the LSD spiking, not to mention the betrayal towards his family with the theft of their money to fix his mistake, without telling anyone. With it confirmed Aadi is leaving the show soon, will this all lead to him leaving home for good?
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Peter Andre lands new role on C5 murder mystery after backlash over movie role
Scroll down to find out more about Peter's new acting gig new gig Peter Andre lands new role on C5 murder mystery after backlash over movie role Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PETER Andre has landed a part in a Channel 5 murder mystery - following backlash over a movie role. The singer, 52, will be flexing different performing muscles with a new role. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Peter Andre has landed a brand new acting role in a murder mystery Credit: TNI Press 4 He is set to appear in Channel 5's The Sunshine Murders Credit: TNI Press 4 It's not the first time Peter has turned his attention to acting Credit: Splash News He plays a pathologist, crime-solving doctor George, in The Sunshine Murders. Set in Cyprus, the new series will be debuting on Channel 5 in September. It stars Star Trek actress Marina Sirtis and ex-EastEnders star Nina Wadia. Meanwhile, Peter recently addressed backlash from fans for his role in comedy film Jafaican. He plays conman Gazza, who must master a Caribbean accent and culture to impersonate a notorious Jamaican gangster for a £3million payout. Peter previously told The Sun: "When I read the script, I spent the whole time laughing. 'It was warm, with a deep, heartfelt message about what someone would do to care for the person that they love. "It was also a beautiful tribute to Jamaica. 'But for me, working on Jafaican has been a dream come true. 'I know some people were a bit sceptical at first because we didn't know whether I could deliver what we had planned, but the reviews we've had have been phenomenal. Emotional Peter Andre reveals strict rule for Princess and Junior 'I studied acting as a kid before going into music from 16, but I always knew I was going to come back to it. "I always said to my dad, 'when I get to my 40s, I'm moving back into film, that's what I want to do'.' However, fans were left cringing at Peter's attempt of doing a Jamaican accent. One penned: "What is happening here lad?" While another added: "LMFAO, this is the most original thing I've seen in a while." A third chimed in: "This looks hilarious can't wait to see this." Jafaican also stars Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas - known as bad boy Warren Fox.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
The guerilla artist behind Glasgow's hilarious fake street signs reveals why he does it
The anonymous artist has placed spoof signs near Glasgow landmarks to make people smile and notice their surroundings A mysterious artist has been quietly placing spoof street signs across Glasgow, aiming to bring a moment of surprise and humour to those who stumble upon them. The anonymous creative, who goes by the name @ASignOfHumour, has installed dozens of handmade signs near city landmarks. The sites of some of his more prominent signs include the Barrowland Ballroom, the Finnieston Crane, and the Glasgow Science Centre. Each sign is intended to make people pause, laugh and take in their surroundings, and maybe even look up from their phones. What began as a light-hearted way to spark joy has become a larger project for the artist. He revealed to the BBC that his work has been inspired by a growing sense that many people were missing the beauty of Glasgow. 'The main goal is to spark joy,' he said. 'But it really started as a response to a lack of appreciation for Glasgow and its surroundings.' Though his real identity remains under wraps, the artist admits his children are in on the secret. 'The kids know because I will run designs past them to get their opinions and things, but they're very much under secrecy not to tell people about it,' he said. 'If it's done anonymously then it's about the sign, it kind of adds to the fun.' Made from painted plywood and topped with custom vinyl lettering, the signs are installed using cable ties so they can be easily removed without damage. Sustainability is a key part of the project, with materials chosen to be recyclable and reusable. Unlike traditional graffiti, the signs are placed in a way that avoids interfering with traffic or cluttering busy areas. Most are found on footpaths, near rivers, in quiet parks, or along cycle routes, where passers-by can take a moment to enjoy them without distraction. Glasgow has a long-standing reputation for public art and murals, and recently hosted the UK's first major exhibition of Banksy's work. While this new artist admires Banksy, he says his approach is different. 'I love Banksy's work, but this is more about subtle moments of silliness and connection,' he said. Among the signs already placed around the city, some of the artist's favourites include a Doctor Who-themed design beside a police box, a warning about pterodactyl nesting near the dome-shaped IMAX cinema, and a sign that depicts the OVO Hydro arena as a spaceship. A few have even appeared outside the city, in places such as Largs and Bonnybridge, the latter known as the UK's UFO hotspot. Some of his creations have gained attention online, with one in particular going viral on Instagram. He said: 'People post photographs of them on their own feeds and I noticed that one of them seems to have gone absolutely viral, so it's got people from all over the world commenting on it,' he said. Despite the guerrilla nature of the installations, he has never run into trouble. He says he would willingly remove any sign if asked. Looking ahead, the artist hopes to take his signs further afield, with plans to visit Edinburgh during the city's August festivals.
