AN ACTOR from Glasgow has become a star of London's West End after bringing a touch of Pollok to his lead role.

James Gillan, 33, is starring in Wicked, which has been breaking box-office records since it opened last year and has been seen by 500,000 theatre fans.

James swapped his home in Pollok for the dazzling lights of London's theatreland aged just 17, when he left Glasgow for drama school.

Since then he's played some of the biggest roles in musical theatre.

But he won the prestigious part as a munchkin in the spin-off to cult tale The Wizard Of Oz after persuading directors at his audition his character, Boq, should have a Glaswegian accent.

James said: "All of us in the show are supposed to be from different places and Boq is from Munchkinland.

"I did that for my audition and they lapped it up. Also, the Glaswegian accent hides a multitude of acting sins."

Wicked is a tale of the two witches from L Frank Baum's classic story.

The Stephen Schwartz show explores the relationship between the popular Glinda, who becomes the good witch, and the misunderstood green girl Elphaba, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West - and Dorothy is told she must kill her to return home.

James said: "It's a fabulous show, basically a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz.

"It's the only show I've done that specifically pinpoints the relationship between women.

"It's a great story, and if you like great songs and a spectacular set we've got that too."

James, who now lives in Highgate, London, started performing with Glasgow Schools Youth Theatre while a pupil at Bellarmine Secondary School in Pollok.

He won his first professional part in a touring version of Roald Dahl's James And The Giant Peach aged just 16.

His other roles include understudying for Phillip Schofield in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, the lead in rollerskating show Starlight Express and a part in The Who musical Tommy, for which he was nominated for the theatre accolade of an Olivier Award.

But he still returns to his beloved Glasgow a few times a year to visit his mum Margaret.

She travels to all of his opening nights in London.

Two of his three older brothers also live in Glasgow. Scott, 34, is also an actor and Frank, 36, works for a building firm.

Many celebs have been to see James's shows and he's met stars including Diana Ross. Wicked is on at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre.