Profiles

MistaJam (A.K.A. Peter Dalton)'s passion for the entertainment industry developed at a young age. Alongside his classes at the Good Shepherd school in Woodthorpe, he became involved in the Central Junior Television Workshop.

"Because I was part of the Workshop, I was around the entertainment business and seeing people make careers out of it from the age of seven.

"My mum sent me a couple of books that I wrote in when I was at school the other day, and I actually said that I wanted to have some sort of career in music or television in those."

Roots

He continued to pursue his acting career throughout his school years and, through the Carlton Junior Television Workshop, achieved a two-year stint in infamous East Midland's soap, Crossroads.

"Crossroads was an absolutely fantastic experience. I auditioned for the part of Minty alongside my friend, Mark Jordan, who auditioned for the part of Des, and we both got the roles.

"It was two years of intensive 50-hour weeks, four-camera shoots, night shoots - all of that kind of stuff. But I wouldn't have changed it for the world!"

Community

MistaJam credits his early success to the Workshop and other community projects he took part in during his teenage years, whose benefits he is keen to promote.

"I used to go to community studios in Nottingham when I was a young kid. They allow people who are young and up and coming who really want to know about this industry and don't want to go down the route of robbing or doing anything illegal.

"I think we need to support those kids in their development and growth, and really show them there is another way.

"There are a lot of projects in Nottingham that are doing that, that don't necessarily get the right amount of funding. These are the things that we need to be supporting as Nottingham people."

Glamour

Getting involved in projects like this, as well as staying focused, he says, is essential to achieving your goals - particularly within the entertainment industry.

"Life as a DJ isn't really that glamorous. People think it is but it isn't – I absolutely love it, but it isn't a glamorous job. But if you've got a son or a daughter who wants to get into the entertainment industry, the one thing above all is just to know your craft, know what you're doing and stay focused."