Lord of the Rings star Billy Boyd has been announced as the new ambassador for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Transitions 20/40 initiative, and will encourage young people from poorer communities into higher and further education in the performance and production arts.

Boyd commented 'Transitions 20/40 is about providing young people with options. If I had this chance as a kid, it would have been a perfect start for me and allowed me to become an actor earlier. I feel truly inspired after meeting T20/40 students at RCS. It's an exciting place to be and has evolved into a dynamic, beautiful arts hub representing Scotland'.