Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin Return in LAYTON & NIKITA LIVE! in Manchester and London

Layton and Nikita will reunite for a brand-new live dance spectacular this summer.

Visiting Layton’s home city of Manchester in the glorious Bridgewater Hall on Sunday 30 June as well as the iconic Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on Tuesday 16 July, Layton & Nikita - LIVE! will be a fierce and fabulous dance extravaganza with a live band and backing dancers.

English actor, singer, dancer, and musical theatre performer Layton Williams is best known for playing the role of Stephen Carmichael in the smash-hit series Bad Education and his extensive work in West End theatre, including Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Ukrainian professional dancer and choreographer Nikita Kuzmin is best known for being a professional dancer on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. In 2024, he was the runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother.

Together their on-stage chemistry is electric, so don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see two of your favourite dancing stars live!

Tickets will go on presale at the two venues on Thursday 18 April, with general on sale at 10am on Friday 19 April.

BIOGRAPHIES

Layton Williams was born in Bury, Manchester and began his career at the age of 12 playing the title role of Billy in the West End production of Billy Elliot. He made his debut TV appearance as Kylie in the BBC comedy Beautiful People. He went on to train at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts which was documented on CBBC’s School for Stars.

The start of 2024 has seen Layton reprising his iconic role of Stephen in Bad Education on BBC One and acting as co-host for The Brit Awards 2024 Red Carpet. 2023 saw Layton reach the final for BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, and he also voiced the UK’s first ever gay dating show for BBC Three I Kissed A Boy.

Television Credits include parts in Billie Piper’s BAFTA-nominated I Hate Suzie, Greg Davies’ The Cleaner, Johnny Vegas’s Murder, They Hope and ITV’s popular Benidorm. He was also a judge on Queens for the Night alongside Melanie C, Rob Beckett and Courtney Act for ITV.

Theatre Credits include Jamie in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre, UK/international tour); Connor in Hushabye Mountain (Hope Mill); Paul in Kiss Me Kate (Sheffield Crucible); Seaweed in Hairspray! (2018 UK Tour); Angel in RENT (London/UK Tour); The Car Man (Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures) and Young Michael in Thriller Live! (West End).

Film credits include Rocketman; The Bad Education Movie; Everybody's Talking About Jamie.

Layton is the director of ‘Pros from The Shows’ which provides high quality workshops for young performers. They have reached thousands of students across the country hoping to inspire the next generation and nurture talent.

A regular supporter of the charities Stonewall and Ditch the Label, Layton regularly visits schools and makes speeches at events to raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues and bullying. In 2022, Layton won the Culture Award at the Attitude Magazine Awards, having also picked up the LGBTQIA+ Champion Award at the Black British Theatre Awards in 2020.

Layton has worked with various brands including YSL, Diesel, Farrow and Ball, and is currently part of the Diet Coke 2024 family alongside talent including AJ Odudu and Nick Grimshaw.

Nikita Kuzmin is a six-times Italian Champion in Latin and Ballroom dance and choreographer, best known as a professional dancer on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.

In Strictly’s 21st and most recent series, Nikita placed runner-up with dance partner, Layton Williams. The duo redeemed their runner-up status on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in February 2024, when they were crowned as glitterball winners.

Nikita entered the Celebrity Big Brother House when the series aired on ITV in March 2024. His presence resonated with housemates and viewers alike, securing him a place in the final and a second-place finish.

Born in Ukraine, Nikita lived there for nine years until his family relocated to Italy to support his sister’s dancing career. It was during his nine years in Italy that Nikita became a six-time Italian Champion in Latin and Ballroom dance. Nikita moved to Germany aged eighteen, where he started working at fellow Strictly alumni Motsi Mobuse’s dance studio before landing a spot as a professional dancer on Let’s Dance – Germany’s version of Strictly Come Dancing – in 2020.

Since his diagnosis with Type One diabetes at age thirteen, Nikita has become a passionate and active campaigner, inspiring those affected to not let it restrict them and raising a wider awareness around the condition.

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