A Sussex schoolboy has beaten off thousands to appear alongside

Pop diva Christina Aguilera in the new Coca Cola advert.

James Bailey, 15, will soon become a familiar face on British television after being plucked from obscurity to star in the new ads for one of the most famous brand names in the world.

While he may not be getting paid £5 million like his American counterpart, he hopes it will launch his career in the industry.

James, from Forest Row, had no idea he was auditioning for Coca Cola when he put his name forward for an audition.

But, two recalls later, he was one of four young men chosen to star in the commercial.

The advert, which was shot in Victoria Park, Hackney, shows the boys' exploits as they whizz round a fairground.

James' screen debut will see him following in the footsteps of a whole host of famous celebrities.

Michael Jordan, Bob Hope, Bill Cosby and even talking robot Max Headroom have all starred in Coca Cola commercials.

James said: "We were told before the audition started it was a soft drinks company but that was it. I had no idea it was going to be for Coca Cola.

"It really is my big break. I have appeared in school plays before but this is my first professional job.

"It was good fun but the hours were long and it was quite hard work. It took three days to shoot the commercial even though it will only be about a minute long. They took hours of footage for it and the sheer scale of the set amazed me.

"All the other guys in the advert were older than me but none of them had had that much television experience. I think we were chosen because we all looked similar and got on well. In the auditions they spent a lot of time just talking to us in groups to see how we looked together."

James had to take time out from his GCSE studies at Greenfields School, Forest Row, to film the commercial. However, he has no plans to give up school to pursue an acting career.

In fact his first love is not acting but music. He already plays bass in a local band, Red Bass, which plays indie rock.

He is also involved in a Blues Brothers Tribute Band which he is currently putting together with his father, David Bailey.

James said: "I plan to stay on at school and do A-levels but keep playing music and will try to get more television and acting jobs on the side.

"If I had to choose I would like my band to take off rather than my acting career, but ideally it would be both."