AN INTERNATIONAL model from Guilsfield has featured in a major new BBC TV drama as he takes the first steps into an acting career.

Bertie Jones, a former Guilsfield Primary School and Llanfyllin High School pupil, had a non-speaking role in chilling true-crime series The Serpent, currently showing on BBC One.

Commissioned by the BBC, the show was co-produced with Netflix.

Set in Asia and featuring ex-Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman, the drama, set in the 1970s, was shot in Bangkok last year and tells the true story of French serial killer Charles Sobhraj.

Coleman plays Marie-Andrée Leclerc, Sobhraj’s girlfriend.

Sobhraj, who was the main suspect in the unsolved murders of up at least a dozen western travellers across the ‘Asian Hippie Trail’ of India, Thailand and Nepal in 1975 and 1976.

He became known as ‘The Serpent’ due to his skills in avoiding capture.

The role is Bertie’s first in TV, but it is the latest stage in an incredible rise for the 27 year-old who has enjoyed extensive modelling career in the last three years.

His modelling career has taken him around the world working for some of the biggest brands on the planet such as Dolce and Gabbana, and Huawei – but he has always had an interest in acting.

Having grown up in Guilsfield, Bertie’s passion for drama was ignited at Llanfyllin High School where he stayed until completing sixth form, before moving on to university.

He said: “I did a Film Studies and Creative Writing degree at Liverpool John Moore’s University where I was active in the University drama society and also MAD (Merseyside Academy of Drama).

“I have been working as a model since 2017 and have agencies or have done work in Singapore, Indonesia, Bangkok, Milan, Berlin, London and New York. I have been living mainly in Bangkok, Berlin and Singapore in the past two years.

“The work has included magazines, fashion shows and television commercials and I have modelled for brands such as Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Acer Computer and Huawei Mobile.”

Through his modelling Bertie has also been involved in a Bali tourism campaign.

He added: “The Serpent is my first acting job outside of adverts, the role is very small but it was an incredible experience.

“My hope is to transition more across to TV and film so to be involved in a BBC /Netflix production and have scenes with actors like Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who, Young Victoria) was very exciting for me.”

“I am in several scenes in the final episode; the series currently airs on Sundays on BBC One, with all episodes now available on BBC I-Player and soon Netflix.”

Bertie is also set to be involved in another TV production later in the year.

The serpent began airing on New Year’s Day and will finish on February 14, and all episodes in the eight-part series are available to watch on the BBC iPlayer. The next episode is this Sunday, January 17. It will also soon be available on Netflix.

You can follow Bertie on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bertie__jones/