Tranent boy playing starring role in new CBeebies show

Ethan, of Muirpark Road, Tranent, features in Molly and Mack, a show about an eight-year-old girl Molly who spends the summer staying with her 18-year-old brother Mack, who runs a market stall.

Ethan spent his summer holidays shooting his role as one of Molly’s best friends, Magnus, and features in all 20 episodes of the new series, which began on Monday on the BBC’s CBeebies channel.

Mum Yvonne Rowley said the casting team were impressed by Ethan despite a couple of rushed auditions.

Yvonne – who runs Quirky Pond Theatre Company alongside Debs Anderson, former director of Centre Stage who is currently appearing in the BBC game show Chase The Case – revealed that on both occasions preparations had not been ideal.

She said: “The first audition was in Edinburgh and I didn’t have a chance to get Ethan’s hair cut. When we got there he wanted a chocolate muffin and a drink so we arrived and he looked a bit like a mad scientist with chocolate on his face!

“The second time we had been at a party before it and he had [eaten] a blue ‘Slushy’.

“The casting team said they liked the fact he was clearly a real boy and not too prim and proper so it worked for him in the end.”

Cockenzie Primary School pupil Ethan who attends Pauline Quirk Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh, has had small parts in the past, appearing in a McDonald’s advert and short films, but this is his first big role.

Yvonne said: “I studied acting when I was younger and when I had my children things were put on a backburner. I encouraged the children to act, I think it is good for their confidence and if they enjoy it then it can be a great benefit.”

News of Ethan’s role was kept quiet until last Friday, when his agent posted a photograph of the youngster onset with former M.I. High cast member Josh Haynes, who is playing Mack.

Molly and Mack is on CBeebies at 5.40pm, Monday to Friday.