When Liam Doyle was named winner of GMTV's competition to find the next Troy Bolton his jaw practically hit the floor, and two months later the 18-year-old is still in shock.

The student from Coventry beat off hundreds of applicants to the prize of playing the lead role in the stage adaption of High School Musical Two, which is premiering at Wimbledon Theatre next month.

Having gone straight into sitting his A2 exams, Doyle has barely had time to breathe but with promotion now well and truly underway and rehearsals set to start in less than two weeks, the enormity of the role has begun to sink in.

"It's making it more real now because I still don't think it has sunk in yet," he said after a photoshoot outside the theatre.

"When I got to look inside here I thought oh my god that is scary - they are telling me there is over 1,500 seats and I have got to front that?

"But it is starting to click the massive responsibility I have and to perform to a full audience will just be incredible."

Doyle, who only started training in song and dance two years ago, beat professional performers to win the role that will see him on stage alongside Les Dennis, who plays Mr Fulton, throughout the year-long UK tour.

"When they said my name my mum said she could see the clogs whirring in my head saying Yes Liam that's you," he said.

"Everyone takes the mick out of me and the face I pulled because my jaw hit the floor and I couldn't move.

"There were people like Lewis Bradley from Any Dream Will Do and people I had seen and recognised from professional shows and I thought I had no chance.

"Then I just kept going and going and when I got through to the final eight and then to the final three it was completely mind blowing.

"I had resigned myself to the fact that I wasn't going to win."

Doyle has played Troy before in an amateur version of the first movie and admits to being a fan of the franchise, but wasn't so sure when he realised the second film ends in kiss between Troy and Gabriella...

"Let's just see how that pans out," he grinned.

High School Musical Two, Wimbledon Theatre, August 22 to September 5, £28 to £35. Call 0844 871 7646 or visit newwimbledontheatre.co.uk.