AFTER starring in one of the biggest films of the year, former Canon Slade pupil Tom Glynn-Carney will be playing a soldier in BBC's 'sizzling' new drama The Last Post.

Tom, who starred in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, plays Lance Corporal Tony Armstrong in the six part series which starts on Sunday and is set in the swinging sixties.

Written by BAFTA winner Peter Moffat, The Last Post is based on childhood memories, his father's career as an officer in the Royal Military Police and his mother's struggle between being what the army required her to be and what she wanted to be.

The Last Post is described as a close-up view of army life set in the heat, glamour and extreme danger of Aden (Yemen) in the 1960s.

Tom plays a soldier from Manchester who is new to the Royal Military Police.

The 22-year-old said: "Peter Moffat has written a lot of cool, juicy stuff for Armstrong so he's a really exciting character to play, with a lot of action, danger, and chase scenes.

"Armstrong becomes completely besotted by a local Adeni girl, Yusra. They exchange various love letters, and they have to decide whether to act on their feelings. He is really torn between his feelings and his duty.

Tom, who acted on Bolton's celebrated amateur theatre scene, said it was lovely to use his own accent for the role.

"I don’t often get asked to play someone from Manchester. People have said, 'Oh, but you don’t look like you’re from Manchester.' And I always want to ask 'What the hell does someone from Manchester look like?' said Tom.

In preparation for the role he had a run-through of the basic requirements that a soldier in the Royal Military Police would need to know. He explained: "Boot camp, tactical training, surveying, weapons handling, marching, saluting, that sort of thing."

He added: "This is my first principal role in TV. I’ve loved it and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with a cast and crew that is down to earth, genuine, humble and creative.

"I had to leave my three-year acting course at Guildhall a little early to start filming Chris Nolan’s Dunkirk. It was an absolute dream come true. I’m lucky to have a great support system of friends and family back home, and I hope they will gather round for a weekly viewing of The Last Post."

The drama also stars Jessie Buckley from War and Peace, Jessica Raine? from Call The Midwife , Amanda Drew from Broadchurch, Ben Miles of The Crown and Stephen Campbell Moore from The History Boys

Mr Moffat said: "Young married couples in the heart of the sixties living in extremely close proximity in a very alien and dangerous environment has always struck me as ripe territory for drama. Men full of vim, vigour and a desire to be heroes in a situation where that isn't always possible; alongside young women who are starting to feel the emancipation of the sixties and a sense of new freedoms, but who are living in a constrained setting where their role is supposed to be merely supportive.

"Throw in tumultuous love stories alongside the unexplored territory of this period in our history and you have a pretty heady mix. This was my parents' world and one I have wanted to write about all my career."

The drama starts at 9pm.