Southport suspect starred in Doctor Who-themed Children In Need advert

The teenager accused of murdering three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event once starred as Doctor Who in a BBC Children in Need advert, it can be revealed.

Footage unearthed by MailOnline shows Axel Rudakubana, then aged 11, emerging from the Tardis in David Tennant's trademark trenchcoat and tie - before urging the nation to help children by getting involved in fundraising.

The clip featuring Rudakubana, filmed in Blackpool in 2018, was deleted earlier today by both the BBC and the Ology child talent agency that represented him.

A source at the corporation said: ‘Children in Need has no relationship to Axel Rudakubana.

'The individual was contracted by the BBC for the campaign video through a casting agency in 2018 and has never had an affiliation with any of our funded projects.’

Rudakubana, now 17, appeared in court on Thursday charged with murdering Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, at a dance studio in Southport, Merseyside.

He is also accused of ten attempted murders, including those of eight more children as well as dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, and businessman John Hayes, who ran to help at the scene.

The teenager's identity initially could not be revealed because suspects under 18 receive automatic anonymity in all UK court cases, except for in exceptional circumstances.

But after a successful application to the judge by the Mail, the identity of Rudakubana – who turns 18 next week - can now be reported.

With those reporting restrictions lifted, MailOnline can reveal that he appeared on a 45-second BBC clip telling viewers 'It's that time of year again' before advising on how best to raise money for Children In Need including dressing 'as every Doctor Who ever'.

He also told viewers 'You can run from John O'Groats to Land's End – backwards' in the promo, which featured Pudsey Bear.

Rudakubana was at the time on the books of Ology Kids Casting based in Ormskirk, Lancashire - close to Southport.

The video is understood to have been shot on location in nearby Blackpool in early 2018.

The talent agency - which is co-run by Laura Beckford, wife of former Everton footballer Jermaine Beckford, and her older brother Andrew - declined to comment, but managers are understood to be ‘very upset’ at learning of the association.

The agency last night deleted a series of Facebook posts about Axel's budding acting career.

One promoting the video read: 'Look out for Ology superstar Axel in the new promo for Children In Need!!'.

At the time of the promotional video, Rudakubana had joined the drama group at his school to meet friends, which saw him perform on a West End show at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

The drama group also created 'their own movie' which was reportedly shown at a Vue cinema where the children were walked down a red carpet.

As well as amateur dramatics, he was also said to be keen on singing, with neighbours in the village of Banks, near Southport, revealing he was part of a local church choir.

A BBC Children in Need spokesperson: 'Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone impacted by this shocking case, and we have removed the video from all of our platforms out of respect to them.'

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