Stevenage actor is Dancing with the Stars

THE mum of Dancing with the Stars heart-throb Aiden Turner has told how her son once had an acting lesson with A-list film star Tom Cruise.

Sheila Turner is cheering on her Stevenage-born, Emmy-nominated soap star son in the US version of BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.

She has told how proud she is of Aiden - who is shaking his hips in the show's 10th series, alongside the likes of Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Sheila, of Oakwell Close in Stevenage, said: "Aiden once had a free acting lesson from Tom Cruise at the ABC studio in New York where Aiden was working on the US soap All My Children.

"As a child he loved anything to do with America; TV programmes, cars and so on.

"He always said he wanted to live there - and now it is so wonderful his dream has come true."

Aiden, 32, is partnered by professional dancer Edyta Sliwinkska on Dancing with the Stars.

Of her son, who is a trained model and chef, Sheila beamed: "He is a great cook and is often asked about typical English dishes when he is interviewed on US TV chat shows.

"They laugh when he mentions bangers and mash, spotted dick, shepherd's pie and fish and chips."

The mum-of-two continued: "Aiden is the complete opposite to his older brother Karl [a married osteopath and dad-of-one] who is just as good looking but would never go in front of a camera."

Aiden's on-screen career began as an extra in EastEnders and The Bill. He also appeared in a Gerri Halliwell video and in television adverts before his big break playing the part of Aidan Devane in American soap All My Children on US network channel ABC.

Sheila said she is "rooting" for her son to win this year's Dancing with the Stars on ABC.

UK viewers can see him in action on digital channel Watch every Friday at 9pm.