Manx actor Joe Locke is set to make his West End debut later this year.

The 21-year-old will star in the new show ‘Clarkston’, which follows two men in their twenties from opposite ends of the US who meet while working at Costco.

The play has been written by Samuel D Hunter, who is best known for his 2012 play ‘The Whale’ which was later adapted into an Oscar-winning film.

Locke is currently in the process of filming a ‘Heartstopper’ feature-length film - the culmination of the hit Netflix series which gave the young actor worldwide recognition.

Following the conclusion of Heartstopper filming, Locke will take on the new stage role in London later this year.

Locke told BBC News he was ‘excited’ for his West End debut, adding that his new role matched the desire to play ‘flawed characters who have a bit of bite’.

Producers of the show have not yet announced the venue or run dates for the production, but have confirmed it will open in a West End theatre in the autumn.

Set in Clarkston, Washington, the play begins with Chris, a Costco employee working night shifts, who meets Jake, a new hire and a young gay man from Connecticut.

Chris is also grappling with a difficult relationship with his mother, who struggles with drug addiction.

Meanwhile, Jake has Huntington’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that causes involuntary movements. He arrived in Clarkston by chance, having lost the ability to drive partway through a westward road trip.

Locke is set to take on the role of Jake in the upcoming production.

Talking to BBC News, Locke said: ‘Jake is this city boy in a small place.

‘He has got so many layers to him that really unravel in the play. A lot of the themes are to do with class and the different experiences of the characters.

‘I really enjoy characters that have something to them, a bit of bite and a bit of a grey area.

‘Everyone is flawed in some ways. I've been lucky enough in my career so far to play a few flawed characters, and Jake is no different to that.

‘That's the fun bit, the meaty bit - getting to know these characters. They're good and they're bad.’

The actor from Douglas is best known for his breakthrough performance in Heartstopper, and also recently appeared in the well-received Marvel TV show ‘Agatha All Along’ on Disney+ alongside well-known actors Aubrey Plaza and Kathryn Hahn.

For his role in the latter, Locke was nominated for two awards; the Independent Spirit Awards for ‘Best Breakthrough Performance’ and the Saturn Awards for ‘Best Younger Performer in a TV Series’.

Locke is also set to executive produce the new Heartstopper film, alongside his co-star Kit Connor.

The final story will be based on the upcoming sixth instalment of creator and writer Alice Oseman's graphic novel series.

Commenting on Netflix’s announcement of the movie on Instagram, Locke said: ‘I fancy a movie.’