Two Putney boys made it big at the MTV studios handling slime for Paramount+’s SlimeTime – and loved every minute of it.
Jeremiah, 11, and Noah, 12, both from Stagecoach Putney, landed the gig through a connection that only happens in tight-knit communities: the show’s production manager has ties to the performing arts school. When the call came for young talent, the boys submitted headshots, got selected, and suddenly found themselves at a professional TV studio with cameras rolling and buckets of gunge.
The setup was simple but surreal. Pick up handfuls of slime. Read questions to camera. Try not to laugh. “It was actually really good fun,” Jeremiah said.
Noah’s assignment included asking viewers “if you were to pick one character to be your teammate, who would it be?” Though both admitted to one disappointment: despite all that slime everywhere, they didn’t get to throw any at anyone. “Unfortunately no,” Jeremiah said.
Their episode aired yesterday on Paramount+.
For Jeremiah, this is just the latest chapter in what’s becoming a proper screen career. He’s been training at Stagecoach for four years, has an agent, and already has Star Wars on his CV – he appeared in The Acolyte as a young Jedi trainee. His childhood hero was Jackie Chan. Now he’s living a version of that action-packed dream himself.
When asked if he finds it all exciting, nerve-wracking, or wants to do more: “All of the above.”
Noah’s path to the MTV studios took a different route. Held back by anxiety for years, he surprised his mum one day by asking if he could join Stagecoach. “She was surprised because I usually don’t ask questions like that,” he said.
It transformed him. “Stagecoach really helped me overcome my anxiety. It actually helped me find my passion of performing and publicly speaking. I really like projecting my voice and dancing in front of people.”
When asked about his hero, he doesn’t mention an actor or footballer. His mum – a nurse who “during her hardest times, still found ways to succeed.” She’s told him she’s proud of him. He’s looking for an agent.
Emma Bent, principal at Stagecoach Putney, said the boys are natural performers who particularly shine in drama with their comedic skills. The school has an upcoming production of Alice in Wonderland at the end of March, and students will perform on the West End stage at the Shaftesbury Theatre and at Regents Park Open Air Theatre later in the year.
Putney has a tradition of supporting young performers through local performing arts schools. Last December, a teacher at Pauline Quirke Academy Putney won a national award for transforming children’s confidence, helping one child who was initially too afraid to perform in front of family end up on stage at His Majesty’s Theatre in the West End.
Stagecoach Putney prides itself on being inclusive with no auditions required. Some children come to make friends and build confidence, others because they want to get into shows. Previous students have performed in West End productions including The Lion King.
Anyone interested in Putney kids activities can find more information at stagecoach.co.uk/putney or contact putney@stagecoach.co.uk.
