YOUNGSTERS were given the inside track on Downton Abbey and other popular television shows when an industry expert visited their school.

Over the last seven years, dialogue editor Tom Williams has worked on everything from the grisly ITV crime series Whitechapel; to the swashbuckling BBC drama The Musketeers.

He started his career in advertising but later moved into television, where he cut his teeth on ITV’s primetime period drama Downton Abbey.

And today (Friday, February 7), the 29-year-old shared his experiences with music pupils at King James I Academy in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

A dialogue editor is responsible for assembling, synchronising and editing all the words spoken by the cast.

Mr Williams, who lives in London, explained that many of the lines spoken on set had to be re-recorded in a studio to ensure the best sound and, in the case of historical dramas, to cut out modern background noises.

He also took part in a question and answer session, where he was quizzed on the best and worse parts of his job, the qualifications needed and much more.

“It has been a brilliant day,” said Mr Williams, who attended the University of West London with Elliott Smith, the academy’s head of music.

“The kids have been great and seemed interested in what I had to say.

"This was really nice for me, as when you are surrounded by other people who work in television you sometimes forget how exciting an industry it is to work in.”