A former pupil of the Dance School of Scotland has landed her dream job as a TV presenter.

Ali De Foy, 25, from Paisley, studied at the Dance School, based at Knightswood Secondary, as well as the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, where she shared classes with pop star Pixie Lott.

Now she is the face of a shopping channel, which can be seen on STV from this weekend.

Ali, trained with the Helen Young dance school in Paisley from the age of 10, first got a taste for TV when she was 14, when her drama club, Pace in Paisley, took part in a BBC kids’ show, UCOOL.

Ali’s mum Irene Beattie is a teacher at Auchenlodment Primary in Johnstone and dad Joseph runs family firm glaziers Joseph Beattie & Son.

Ali, who has a brother Kevin, 29, won a scholarship to study musical theatre at Knightswood aged 16.

EastEnders actor and Dancing on Ice contestant Sam Attwater and fellow Scot Ashley Lilley, who appeared in the movie Mamma Mia, were also fellow students at Italia Conti, where she made friends with Pixie.

Ali said: “Pixie’s a friend. She’s lovely. We knew it was going to happen for her. It was just a matter of time.”

After college, Ali landed a part in River City in 2005 when casting bosses spotted her at an audition for a TV ad for The Fort shopping centre.

She was in three episodes as the secret girlfriend of on-screen footballer Andrew Murray.

But it was when she was compiling her showreel – a collection of clips of her performances to demonstrate her talent – made in London, she got her big break.

She said: “The casting director of Gems TV asked the compilers if they knew anybody who would be good for the show. They recommended me.”

Ali was then given a live TV audition at the studio in Reddich, near Birmingham, before being told she had the job.

That was six years ago, but until now the show was available only on Sky or cable, but from this weekend it can be seen live on STV every night at midnight.

Ali said: “It has always been my dream to present on a TV channel which you don’t need to have Sky, Freeview or Virgin to watch.

“And it means my parents and gran can see me on TV.”

Ali, who now lives in Stratford-upon-Avon, hopes it will be a stepping-stone to bigger things.

She said: “My dream is to have my own TV show on a Friday night, and I want to do the music shows. Hopefully one day I will do the Brits – and maybe present Pixie with an award.”