The winner of this year’s Spotlight Prize is Andrew Gower, from Oxford School of Drama. Vivienne Bell, from Central School of Speech and Drama, won the highly commended award.

 Andrew performed a scene from 'Me, As A Penguin' by Tom Wells and Vivienne performed a scene from 'Anna Karenina' by Helen Edmundson.

They beat stiff competition from a total of 21 talented acting students, all of whom had already been chosen as the very best actors graduating from the UK's most prestigious drama schools this year.

Competing for the Spotlight Prize, the young performers had just three minutes each to impress an exclusive industry audience at the Spotlight Showcase, which took place at the Bloomsbury Ballroom yesterday. As you'd expect, standards were incredibly high.

The VIP audience comprised over 300 leading casting directors, agents, producers, directors and successful actors, giving the performers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch their acting careers.

The final winners were selected by a prestigious judging panel which included: Naomi Harris (28 Days Later, Small Island, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), winner of 'Best Actress' at the Royal Television Society Awards 2010; Oscar-nominated actress and President of the Conference of Drama Schools Janet Suzman (A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Nicholas and Alexandra); actor Philip Glenister (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes); actor Paul McGann (The Monocle Mutineer, Doctor Who); Nigel Seale, Head of Spotlight; Casting Director Pippa Ailion (The Lion King, Wicked, Billy Elliot); Hannah Miller, Head of Casting at The Royal Shakespeare Company; Casting Director Priscilla John (Mamma Mia!, Brideshead Revisited, Saving Private Ryan) and MD of The Stage Newspaper, Catherine Comerford.

For more information please go to www.spotlight.com