WHEN Damien Flood agreed to play a pop star in the West End show Boyband he had no idea his life would begin to mimic its plot.

After only six months on the stage acting out the experiences of teen-group Freedom, Damien was given the opportunity to turn the fictional musical into a reality.

The 24-year-old former model from Shoreham and four other cast members were approached by a record company who wanted to sign them up.

Now Damien and his new group Brit Pack are about to storm the charts with their first single Set Me Free, on January 31.

Damien said: "It's all very weird. When I took the part in Boyband I never expected my character to come alive. During my teenage years I dreamed of being in a band but after a brief spell as a solo singer I decided to pursue a career in theatre and dance instead."

Damien spent five months performing in the show, which charts the rise and fall of a boy band.

But the trained actor and dancer never thought he would be faced with screaming fans off the stage as well as on.

He said: "During the show we had to act out scenes based on live concerts and situations involved crowds of screaming girls. Then I was an actor but now I am just me and the situations are not scripted, they are really happening.

"When I was acting in the show the curtain would come down at the end of a performance and I'd be Damien again, not a member of Freedom. But now there is no curtain, but I'm enjoying all the attention and am very happy."

Damien had his first experience of the music industry when he supported Boyzone as a solo artist in 1997 but says he was not happy performing alone.

He said: "I was the support act on their UK tour but it was not right for me so I left and got a part in Carmen in the Theatre Royal, in Brighton. Then I got the lead role in a rock and roll musical called Rock Hard at the Theatre Royal and things just took off from there."

The five members of Freedom signed to Castle records six months ago and performances of Boyband were put on hold.

Brit Pack got their first big break when they were invited to perform on the Smash Hits Arena Tour alongside Westlife, Five, S Club 7 and A1.

Damien, who grew up in Edburton Gardens but now lives in London, attributes his success to his mum Sally and dad Paul who have supported him in his quest for stardom.

Damien and fellow band members Kevin Andrews, 24, Tom Ashton, 21, Richard Green, 20 and Stepps, 22, are due to make their television debut this morning on SMTV Live on ITV with Ant, Dec and Cat Deeley. Next week the band are scheduled to appear on Live and Kicking on BBC 1.

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