Sylvia Young, the founder of the renowned Sylvia Young Theatre School, has died at the age of 86. Her daughter, West End star Frances Ruffelle, confirmed that she passed away peacefully surrounded by her family.
Young's school, which now charges £14,400 a year and is based in Westminster, began as part-time classes in east London in 1972. It later moved to Marylebone before settling in a converted church in Westminster, where it remains today.
The school's alumni include Amy Winehouse, Rita Ora, Billie Piper, Emma Bunton, Dua Lipa, Denise Van Outen, and Tom Fletcher. Van Outen credited Young with advising her: 'Don't focus on one thing, try and do all of it and you'll always work.'
Ruffelle, who originated the role of Eponine in Les Misérables, paid tribute on social media, calling her mother 'a true visionary' who gave young people from all walks of life the chance to pursue performing arts. She added: 'Her rare ability to recognise raw talent and encourage all her students contributed to the richness of today's theatre world.'
Tributes have poured in from celebrities including Tony Blackburn, Sadie Frost, Adam Woodyatt, and Nicole Appleton, who described Young as 'a pioneer' and 'a rare force'.
