Olly Alexander’s life off-screen including Years And Years split and switch to acting – OK! Magazine

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While many knew Olly Alexander as one third of pop band Years and Years, he’s now best known for his incredible performance as Ritchie Tozer in Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin.

The singer and actor, 31, has even received a BAFTA TV nomination for his portrayal of Ritchie, and is in the running take to home the award for Best Actor at the upcoming event on Sunday 8 May.

Olly has been acting since a young age, and has starred in TV shows such as Skins, Penny Dreadful and Lewis, as well as numerous films, including Gulliver’s Travels, Great Expectations and The Riot Club.

Here we take a look into Olly’s life away from the cameras, including Years and Years…

(Image: Getty)

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Olly, who hails from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, started pursuing a career in acting when he was 16.

After he started to be offered roles, he dropped out of Hereford College of Arts in order to take on the opportunities he’d been offered.

Olly’s career kicked off in 2008, when he starred in the film Summerhill. He then went on to feature in Bright Star, Tormented and Enter the Void.

(Image: Instagram / Olly Alexander)

(Image: Getty)

Olly went on to join Years & Years in 2010, after Mikey Goldsworthy heard him singing and liked his unique voice.

Years & Years’ debut single was released in July 2012, with the band performing as a five-piece at the time. Two years later, Olly, Mikey, and Emre Turkmen signed a deal with French label Kitsuné as a three-piece.

Years & Years topped the charts on numerous occasions, with their debut studio album, Communion, going straight to number one in the UK Albums Chart in 2015.

In July 2018, the trio released their second album, Palo Santo, and they went on to collaborate with numerous artists including Jax Jones and perform at Glastonbury Festival.

In March 2021, the band announced on Instagram that they were splitting up, and that Olly would be pursuing a career as a solo artist under the name Years & Years.

It was then revealed that Mikey would still be playing live as an instrumentalist, while Emre was planning to focus on his work as a writer and producer.

Olly told how he felt the trio had “grown apart musically”, and the split “had kind of been a long time coming”.

He’s gone on to release several singles, as well as a third studio album, titled Night Call, which was released in September.

(Image: Getty)

Alongside his acting success with It’s A Sin, Olly’s music career has continued to go from strength to strength after deciding to go solo last year.

He’s collaborated with the likes of Kylie Minogue, performed alongside Elton John, and headlined BBC’s New Year special, The Big New Years & Years Eve Party, with Kylie and Pet Shop Boys last year.

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