Tears of lad, nine, after primary school refuses him two days off to film telly commercial
Mum of aspiring actor Oliver McGonigle blasts decision she says will hamper his career
A DISGRUNTLED mum has slammed her son's school for barring him from leaving the classroom - to film a TV commercial.
Aspiring actor Oliver McGonigle, nine, cried himself to sleep after finding out he could not get two days off school to film a pharmaceutical commercial in London.
The youngster beat-off stiff competition from other hopefuls through a video audition after he dazzled casting directors with his talent - and bagged the part.
But Holy Family Primary in Blackpool, Lancs., would not authorise the days off after the casting agency failed to secure a licence for Oliver.
The role was then handed to another young actor.
Oliver's mum Nicole McGonigle, 41, said: "He's not behind at school and he's not badly behaved. He was so happy and they've taken that away."
Oliver, who attends Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts and A1 Dance Academy, has past experience working as a wedding wear model and an understudy for advertisements with car company Ford.
But support worker Nicole, of Blackpool, Lancs., says he is now struggling to progress in his acting career because he cannot attend casting calls.
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Oliver had to also turn down a role in this year's performance of Great Expectations at the Winter Gardens as a result of school commitments.
Nicole said: "It makes me feel very sad because I have put a lot into supporting Oliver in what he wants to do.
"Oliver is part of the school choir and teachers take him out of lessons to practice for that."
Nicole said she would understand the school's firm stance if her son was falling behind - but insisted that he performed well at school, and that his attendance record for the previous school year was 95 per cent.
All children who perform on stage or in television must have a licence from their local authority, which can only be granted if it is satisfied that the child's education will not suffer as a result.
Blackpool Council confirmed that the casting agency had not applied for a licence in this case.
Headteacher Helen Moreton said Holy Family RC Primary was supportive of Oliver's career hopes - but said it was hamstrung by the lack of a licence and Government crackdowns on pupils missing school for unauthorised reasons.
Nicole has now applied to move Oliver to another primary school in 2017.
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