'Charmed life' of West End dancer and royal gardener

A professional dancer has told how he has lived a "charmed life" after starring in the West End and then going on to be a gardener at Buckingham Palace and No.10 Downing Street.

Karl Stevens starred in Saturday Night Fever, Sunset Boulevard and Calamity Jane. He then became a royal gardener in London and Windsor Castle, along with the prime minister's residence.

He has now returned to west Lancashire to teach dancing as well as keeping up with gardening near Ormskirk.

The 50-year-old said: "I have been very, very lucky."

Stevens started ballet aged six and left for London aged 19 to star in in the West End.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I was lucky as I got a job straight away doing Calamity Jane."

The west Lancashire native taught dancing as well but also branched out for his love of the outdoors.

He said: "I have lived a charmed life. I love gardening.

"I retrained as a gardener.

"I thought I needed a break from the showbiz lifestyle and so went into gardening.

"I was really happy but I I had to reign in some of the theatrical stuff.

"I was really happy as I was working outside Buckingham Palace planting tulips."

His dancing classes were however hit by the Covid-19 lockdowns.

He said: "Covid was very challenging.

"I was living on a canal boat so the reception wasn't great [for online classes].

"So I had to go into a field with my computer and teach a group of 32 students.

"You would get dogs running up to you sniffing you.

"It must have looked strange but then so many people did a lot of odd things during Covid."

Stevens is now back home in Lancashire and next month he will re-start dance classes as well as professional gardening.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.