Despite the plethora of accents that we manage to fit onto our small island, the world of film and TV in the UK has long been largely dominated by just one: received pronunciation.

The southern English accent is so entrenched as the default that, when a character does have a strong regional lilt, far from being a neutral facet, it often forms part of their personality.

But a new generation of up-and-coming actors are bucking that trend.

Erin Watson and Evie Musso are performing arts students at the Manchester College in Openshaw.

Today (August 14) they got the news they’d been waiting for: they passed their B-Tec in Performing Arts with flying colours, as both received a distinction star.

“It’s been really hard, so I’m really happy,” said Erin. She has managed to secure an agent, so p

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