The Liverpool phenomenon praised by Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse liverpoolecho.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from liverpoolecho.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
He started dancing aged seven and at nine saw Billy Elliot on stage, showing off his footwork on the way home to the delight of onlookers.
Now aged 18, Tom Oakley has won a place at a leading dance school – just as Billy Elliot did.
However, unlike his fictional counterpart, the ballet and contemporary performer has done so while living with a life-threatening condition.
Tom, who trains for 60 hours a week, has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease in which sticky mucus builds up in the lungs and digestive system.
Tonight a Channel 4 documentary follows Tom as he prepares for his auditions at the prestigious Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London