Daniel dances into a new TV role; SCREEN SUCCESS: Choreographer Arlene picks Coventry Kid for musical drama series.

Byline: By Marion McMullen TV WRITER

TALENTED Coventry dancer Daniel Uppal is going back to school ... in Britain's answer to High School Musical.

He plays one of the students in ITV's major new series Britannia High and will be dancing his way across the small screen every week.

The 20-year-old will be appearing alongside top performers like Girls Aloud and Boyzone as well as Coronation Street's Ryan Thomas, ex-Busted and I'm A Celebrity winner Matt Willis and Hollyoaks actress Gemma Bissex in the musical drama created by choreographer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips and theatre impresario Ian Judge.

Daniel was part of Arlene's dance team in BBC 1's Saturday night dance challenge show DanceX last year and ended up appearing in concert with chart-topper Rihanna as one of her backing dancers at Wembley and other top tour dates.

Now viewers will be able to enjoy the Coventry Kid's dance moves again in Britannia High.

None will be more enthusiastic than mum and dad Kim and Surj and little sister Chantelle who will be tuning in at the Longford family home.

The series features original music by some of the biggest names in pop including Gary Barlow, Marc Owen and Steve Mac and follows the fortunes of students at a performing arts school.

Daniel is currently studying dance in Cambridge, but took a five-month break to head to London to specially film the new series, which begins on ITV on Sunday.

His mum Kim said: "It's been a lot of hard work, but it's a great opportunity for him and we can't wait to see the show. So much has happened since he appeared on DanceX last year.

"We went to see him when he appeared with Rihanna and got to go backstage as well. We're very proud of him and it's great to see a lad from Coventry doing so well."

Daniel's fellow DanceX dancers Marcquelle Ward and Rana Roy are also enrolled in Britannia High.

Arlene Phillips said: "I plundered any talent that I knew or had worked with to come along."

She said the idea came to her after seeing a concert at her daughter Abi's school.

An album containing tracks featured in the series will be released on November 17.

Daniel completed GCSEs and A-levels at Foxford School, Longford, but his passion was dance. He spent a year with the Kombat Breakers, the city's famous street dancers.

With no formal training, he went on to win the 2004 Under-18 UK Freestyle Dance Competition.

It led to him being awarded a full scholarship for a performing arts course at Bodyworks in Cambridge.

His breakthrough came when he successfully auditioned for Arlene's team in last year's DanceX BBC TV show.

He is studying in Cambridge but has been allowed time off for his TV work.

CAPTION(S):

AMAZING MOVES ... Daniel Uppal performing on BBC show DanceX where he won the admiration of choreographer Arlene Phillips (pictured with Daniel below). Now he is to appear in new series Britannia High featuring music by big names including Gary Barlow (left).