𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Earlier this year, young actor Ellie-Mae Siame landed a role in a show about one of the world’s most recognisable characters – Thomas the Tank Engine.

The 14-year-old is the voice of Nia, the orange and black-coloured engine number 18 in Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories.

A full-length YouTube special premiered on Thursday, which has already been viewed more than two million times, and it will be on Netflix from 30 September before a full series airs in 2027.

“It was crazy to see how big Thomas the Tank Engine was – I knew it was big but not that big,” Ellie-Mae told BBC Radio Stoke.

The Stafford teenager said she was contacted by her agent and did a filmed audition for the show in January.

She expected either not to hear back or be contacted to do a recall or a read-through – instead, she was offered the role of Nia straight away.

Ellie-Mae said: “It’s crazy to think they liked my voice that much and gave me the opportunity to be Nia that fast.”