AN ACTOR is up for a prestigious award for his role in Hollyoaks.

Gregory Finnegan has been nominated for the Best Actor award at the British Soap Awards.

Gregory, 38, who is from Sussex, plays James Nightingale in the Channel 4 soap.

Nightingale is a crafty businessman and lawyer who is often scheming.

Gregory is up for the award alongside EastEnders actors Danny Dyer and Zack Morris, Emmerdale’s Jeff Hordley and Jack P Shepherd of Coronation Street.

Gregory was raised in Seaford from the age of seven, and has praised his South Coast home for shaping his formative years.

He said: “I went to primary and secondary school in Seaford, before my sister convinced me to go to Bhasvic in Hove for sixth form college.

“Brighton is a great place for a teenager.

“It’s not as big as London and my time was mainly spent in North Laine and the markets looking for massive posters.

“There were too many hours spent at the pub with my friends.”

Gregory hopes a big awards win might earn him recognition at his former college.

He said: “When we did theatre studies at Bhasvic there was a board of famous graduates, so maybe if I win I’ll get a picture.”

Gregory moved from Sussex at 18 to attend theatre school in London.

But Brighton is never more than a stone’s throw away.

He said “It was bittersweet to leave but it felt like to right move.

“I still come down quite often to visit family.

“It’s retained its excitement.”

Gregory joined the cast of Hollyoaks in 2015.

This year has been a dramatic one for his character.

He has learned he has a son, Romeo and has been trying to bond with him.

Romeo was conceived when James’s dad tried to “cure” James of being gay and made him sleep with a prostitute on his 16th birthday.

James’s boyfriend, Harry has just been arrested for a hit and run, and it could derail their relationship.

Gregory said: “It’s been a pretty dramatic year.

“We’ve had weddings, break ups and on-off romances.

“I feel very lucky that I get to do some light and shade.”

The British Soap Awards air on ITV on Saturday, June 1.

To vote for Gregory visit www.britishsoapawards.tv.