Twenty-year-old Antonio Aakeel is set to appear in the new season premiere of BBC drama Moving On.

Antonio will be starring alongside Rosie Cavaliero and Leon Harrop in the first episode of the eighth series of the show, when it airs next week.

The opening feature stars Rosie Cavaliero, of ITV’s Prey, as a single mum to George – played by Leon - an endearing lad who has Down’s Syndrome; with Antonio Aakeel playing the key role of foster son Mati.

Character Mati, a refugee from Afghanistan, has flourished since he moved in aged seven. But on his 18th birthday a letter arrives that changes everything.

The 18-year-old living in foster care runs away when he has his application to remain in the UK declined and so faces deportation back to Afghanistan.

The return of the show, created by Jimmy McGovern, features standalone dramas telling modern stories about characters who have reached turning points in their lives.

Antonio Aakeel said, “The script was incredibly current and relevant in its approach to social issues. We’ve recently seen a huge amount of opinion on the children in the refugee camp in Calais being selectively accepted into European countries, while others have been abandoned.

“This episode tells the same story from a human perspective and will raise awareness about the struggles of displaced children.

"Everyone can relate to the universal themes of family, loss and acceptance in an episode that will hopefully encourage empathy.”

Antonio recently featured prominently in a special BBC Doctors episode on Gender Identity issues, and also appears in director Pete Travis’ latest film City of Tiny Lights, alongside Billie Piper and Riz Ahmed.

Antonio will next appear In the BBC series Three Girls, directed by BAFTA winner Philippa Lowthorpe.

The premier episode of the eighth series of Moving On airs on BBC One On Monday 7 November at 2.15pm.