The Gold star recalls 'magical' acting upbringing

One of the stars of drama The Gold has said growing up around theatre in mid Wales was a "magical" experience.

Tom Cullen, features alongside Hugh Bonneville in the returning BBC One show, said "drama is very much in the blood".

He grew up in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, where his parents worked at a local theatre company.

"If you'd told that kid that I'd be doing what I'm doing, I wouldn't have believed you," he added.

Cullen's earliest memories are of being in and around the theatre, saying he "grew up in a rehearsal room".

"My primary school was next to the theatre so I'd finished school, walk down and just sit there and watch that these adults mess around and play."

Acting has been a source of joy for the whole family since, he told Lucy Owen on BBC Radio Wales.

His parents used to act and his brother and sister have both gone into the profession.

"It hooked its claws into all of us," Cullen said.

He is preparing for the release of the second series of the drama based on the Brinks-Mat heist in 1983.

Cullen said he still had to "pinch myself every day" adding he was "incredibly grateful" to be doing something he loved.

He plays John Palmer, who he called a "fascinating character" with the second series exploring how his "whopping ego" leads to his downfall.

The actor has also starred in Ar Y Ffin - a Welsh language programme aired on S4C, despite the fact he does not speak Welsh.

Cullen said he is looking to change that as he gears up to move to Cardiff this summer.

"I'm not a Welsh speaker although I'm learning at the moment," he said.

"My daughter will be going to a Welsh school in Cardiff so I'm going to have to understand what the homework is."

He said it was "fantastic" to work on the show, which was filmed in Wales.

"I got to work with loads of old friends that I've known since I was a teenager. It was just absolutely joyous," he added.

Looking to the future, he said it was "fantastically fun" to join the House of the Dragon, which has been filmed in north Wales, for the next season, currently has no release date.

Although Cullen "can't talk much about it" at this stage, he said the set design was something that impressed him in particular.

"They just build a castle with multiple levels and huge banquet. It is just absolutely extraordinary."

The Gold returns to BBC One and iPlayer at 21:00 BST on Sunday.