ACTING stupid has paid off for Ben Thompson.

The young actor, from Warwick Road in Radcliffe, has just finished filming a new series for the children's channel CBBC to be shown at the end of the year.

Ben (12) will play a host of characters in Stupid, a fast show-style comedy programme for children, after getting involved in drama at the age of eight. The youngster initially started with a drama agent in Leigh, before joining the Carol Godby Theatre Workshop in Bury.

And it was the earlier agent that remembered Ben's work and put him forward for the CBBC audition.

Ben said: "When I first started going to auditions I was quite nervous but now I just get on with it.

"I go to quite a few and it gets easier."

About 400 young people auditioned for the show, and Ben was one of a small handful of children to be chosen to take part in the sketches.

Each week, the same characters will reappear and one of Ben's favourites was Frank Boffin, a wacky inventor.

And the Radcliffe Riverside School pupil has his sights set on acting in front of the cameras as a career.

He said: "I'll be choosing drama when I can pick my options next year and I want to do this as a job when I am older.

"My ideal role would be something like the character that Woody Harrelson played in White Men Can't Jump, because I love basketball too."