A YOUNG musician played the gig of a lifetime in front of a packed audience of celebrities and industry bosses at the Royal Opera House.

Bradley White-Dale, 26, of Westcliff Park Drive, Westcliff, had just got back from studying drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, when an old contact asked him to play the Tickets for Troops fundraiser.

Tickets for Troops, is a national charity that provides free tickets to major music and sporting events for servicemen and women.

To help raise money to keep the charity running, the glitzy fundraiser was organised and a chance meeting with an old friend meant Bradley was on the bill.

Bradley says: “It was a huge success. We raised £120k on a charity auction and my performance went down really well with the crowd.

“I made so many good contacts and am hoping to have the photos published in Hello. It was a fantastic night.

“I’ve been performing my whole life, starting with Southend Boys Choir, and to go on and do something like this has been fantastic.

“This gig has been an amazing opportunity for me and for such a brilliant cause.”

At the gig on Saturday, Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox delivered a short introduction before Kate Silverton hosted the evening. Other performers on the night included Tony Hadley and Rose Farquhar.

The future is now looking bright for Bradley. Last year while studying in New York, he appeared in the off-Broadway production, Moony Mercury at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre.

He has also just recorded and released his debut album, Malaise and Glory Days.