Joseph McManners

"When everyone clapped and told me they were impressed, I thought: 'I like this - I think I'll keep doing this"

"I always loved the original Oliver! film, especially the songs, so to be playing the role alongside Ron Moody, who played Fagin in the original version, feels like a dream. But every day of the past year has felt so fantastic, so brilliant, it seems unreal."

"Everything is so exciting at the moment. My school friends back home in Canterbury can't quite believe what I am up to. I can't wait for everyone to hear my new album"

"It's amazing, it really is!"

"I'm appearing in a new Working Title film. It's going to be my first big film and I'm really excited. The film itself will feature Simon Pegg, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton and myself. Filming has just started."

"I do like girls as friends, but definitely not as girlfriends. Bleurgh! Lots of girls try to hug me and tell me I'm cute, which is really embarrassing."

"This happened by accident," [Referring to his long hair] "I didn't get round to having a haircut for a while, and when it got long I thought it looked cool. I don't want anyone to change me. And hopefully, one day, I'll be known as the great child singer who developed into a great adult singer. That would be so cool."

"Sometimes I leave my room in a bit of a mess," he giggles. "And I can't do tricks on my skateboard. I just sit on it and roll down the hill. But although it sounds corny I get good grades at everything at school. But I'm not a swot. Honestly."

"I write the lyrics first, then the music," he says. "I don't want to try to be someone I'm not, because people easily see through that. So I only write about my own experiences, things I know and enjoy. Like my pets. I can't write about lovey or coupley things."