Bur Crossroads' latest heart-throb is a dedicated family man, married with a baby daughter.

 

"I'm in Birmingham during the week making Crossroads, but I dash home to spend the weekend in London with my family," said 24 year old Andrew.

 

"My wife, Jane, and I spend the whole weekend playing with our lovely daughter Mhairi - pronounced Vari.

 

"It's a Gaelic name - the Gaelic equivalent for Mary.  She's 16 months old and now she's toddling she gets into everything."

 

Andy originally hails from the Dorset town of Lyme Regis.  Dad is an electrical engineer and he has four brothers.  Youngest, Simon, who's 11, is still at school.

 

"There are no other actors in the family," said Andy.  "In fact I had no intention of taking up acting.  I was all set to go to art school.  I took 'A' level art and wrote to all the art colleges seeking admission.

 

"But then a teacher persuaded me to take a part in the school production of 'The Real Inspector Hound.'  I'd never taken any interest in drama, nor had I been in any other school plays, but I agreed.

 

"I found I like it and the drama teacher said I ought to think of acting as a career," he said.

 

"After three years training with the Old Vic in Bristol, my first job was acting assistant stage manager at Harrogate.  I had to make the scenery, then rush on and off between scenes.  Every now and again I'd get a chance to act."

 

Success wasn't far away.  Andy left Harrogate to take more leading roles at Chester.

 

He first met Jane at Harrogate where she was an actress.

 

"We didn't get on at all at first, but slowly, the ice broke between us and we started going out together.  Love grew and we decided to get married," he said.